Evangelion: G
by moguera
Summary: An EvangelionGodzilla crossover. Asuka and the others return home, but the reunion is short lived as a new threat looms in the near future. The pilots prepare to face their biggest challenge yet. CHAPTER 15 IS FINALLY UP!
1. The Black Eva

**EVANGELION: G**

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion in any way shape or form.

**Chapter** **1: The Black Eva**

_Setting the stage:_

            "So, the 17th Angel has been destroyed."  Gendo Ikari stared blankly into the space of his inner sanctum.  "Seele will not take this well," he muttered.

            "What do you think their reaction will be?" inquired Fuyutsuki, standing at his side.

            "I do not doubt that they will now try to take Unit 01 by force," replied Ikari.

            "The question then is when?" muttered Fuyutsuki.

***

            Shinji stood by the bedside of Asuka.  Looking at her, he felt a profound sadness and guilt for he was certain that he was more than partially responsible for her current condition.  Shinji merely sat by Asuka's bedside, watching her chest rise and fall in her comatose state.  The room was completely silent save for the soft beeping of the machinery that monitored Asuka's condition constantly.

            Shinji was at a total loss.  He wished it would all end, that Asuka would wake up, that the Angels would just disappear, that the Evas would cease to exist.  He wished it would all be over and done with.  However, Shinji instinctively knew that the fighting was far from over.  Before the gore belonging to the 17th Angel had begun to dry on the hand of Unit 01, Shinji knew that it wouldn't be long before the fighting would begin again.

            "Asuka," he whispered softly, "I'm sorry."  He dropped his face into his hands, sobbing.  "This is all my fault."

            Asuka remained motionless, unresponsive.  She made no sound.  She lay facing up, her eyes, open but unseeing, staring upward at the blank ceiling.

            "Please," groaned Shinji "Please.  Just wake up.  I don't want to be alone.  Wake up.  Please Asuka!"  Shinji's voice was beginning to grow more frantic.  Finally, he reached out and grabbed Asuka's shoulder.  He began to shake her mercilessly.  "Wake up!  Wake up!" His voice remained soft but its franticness was apparent.  Finally, Shinji stopped.  He released Asuka's shoulder and dropped his head in his hands.

***

            In the upper atmosphere, completely undetected by the sensors of NERV far below, the plane flew, bearing its deadly cargo to its final destination.  When the pilot of the aircraft determined that he had reached the proper coordinates, he hit the button that released his deadly payload.  The gargantuan object dropped like a stone towards the sea below.

***

            Ishiro Saegusa stepped off the train that had brought him to Tokyo 3.  As he stepped off the platform, he looked around the city, trying to decide which way he should go.  He looked down at the letter in his hand, a letter from NERV.  It had said that there would be someone waiting to pick him up, but it appeared that both he and the letter were mistaken.

            Growling under his breath, the boy shouldered his duffle bag and set off in what he deemed to be the best direction.  He would find a way into the NERV headquarters, even if he had to find a shovel and dig his way down to the geofront.

***

            "I can't believe this," growled Misato, "Kaoru was supposed to be the last Angel.  If that's the case then why do we need another pilot?"

            Her blue car sped down the road, weaving in and out of traffic, its driver oblivious to the horns of the other people with whom she shared the road.  "We don't even have another Eva."

            Misato had received information mere minutes earlier that the 6th child would be arriving in Tokyo 3 by train.  Headquarters had dispatched her, as usual, to pick up the child and deliver him to NERV.  "Hasn't anyone ever heard of advanced notice?" Misato moaned.

***

            It hit the water with the force of a meteor.  The force of the object's splashdown knocked over a few of the still standing buildings that had been flooded long ago.  Slowly, the creature that had been dropped into the water rose up.  Sunlight glinted off of its silvery hide.  Slowly, relentlessly, it plodded towards shore and the vulnerable city beyond.

***

            The alarms wailed through NERV headquarters.  Crew members rushed to their positions, caught of guard by the obviously mistaken belief that the 17th Angel was the final threat to Tokyo 3.  In Command center, technicians, including Maya, Makoto and Shigeru were attempting to discern the source of the alarm.

            "We have visual contact," said Maya.  An image appeared on the gigantic screen floating in the space in front of them.

            "Spectrum analysis, blue.  It's definitely an Angel," stated Makoto.

            "It looks like an Eva," added Shigeru.

            The monster did indeed look like an Eva.  It was a humanoid creature that stood at least a hundred meters tall.  Its color was silver, the pattern of armor plates perfectly mirroring an Eva.  It also wore the familiar Evangelion series shoulder braces.  The only thing that differed from a true Eva was its face.  In place of any kind of face the creature only possessed a dome with a mirror-like finish.  The brilliant red core lodged in its abdomen seemed to glow with unearthly light.

            "It's a hybrid," muttered Fuyutsuki, "A combination between Angel and Eva."

            "Prepare to launch Units 01 and 02 out on sortie," ordered Fuyutsuki.

            "Pilot Pilot Soryu is currently in a comatose state and unable to pilot," replied Maya, "We are also unable to locate Pilot Ayanami."

            "Then send out Unit 01," said Fuyutsuki.

            "Aye Sir," replied Maya.

***

            "Pilot Ikari, please report to Unit 01 holding cage immediately.  Pilot Ikari, please report to Unit 01 holding cage immediately."  The announcement blared out of the speakers far and wide across the compound.

            Shinji paid them no heed.  He wanted nothing to do with the Evangelions anymore.  He had left Asuka a while ago and now sat huddled under a stairway.  He would never get into his Eva again if he had anything to do with it.

            "Pilot Ikari, please report to Unit 01 holding cage immediately."  The speakers continued to broadcast his summons ceaselessly.  Shinji didn't move.  He wasn't going anywhere.

***

            "We've located Pilot Ikari!" exclaimed Maya.  She brought an image of Shinji up on the screen.  He sat, huddled under a stairway.

            "Why isn't he responding?" wondered Makoto.

            "It doesn't matter," growled Fuyutsuki, "If he won't come then we'll send somebody to drag him over."

            "No."  Commander Ikari's voice silenced everyone else in Command center.  "Classify Pilot Ikari as unable to pilot."

            "But sir," protested Fuyutsuki, "If he doesn't pilot Unit 01, who's going to fight the Angel."

            "Major Katsuragi is already bringing in the 6th child," replied Gendo calmly, resting his chin on his gloved hands.

            "But it will take too long to reconfigure Unit 01 for the 6th child!" protested Fuyutsuki.

            "We will not be using Units 01 or 02," said Gendo, "The 6th child shall pilot Unit 14."

            "What?" gasped Fuyutsuki.

            "But sir, there is no Unit 14," stated Makoto.

            "That's what security is for Lieutenant," was all that Commander Ikari said.

***

            Ishiro continued to wander the streets calmly, long after the last person had disappeared and all but the shortest buildings had dropped out of sight.  Ishiro was rapidly growing frustrated.

            "I had to come right in the middle of an attack," he growled, "It figures."

            As he continued to walk, he heard the not so far away sounds of heavy weapons fire.  Along with those sounds he heard a consistent series of loud thumps, footsteps of a giant.

            The creature appeared on the eastern horizon.  Sunlight glinted off its silvery metal.            Several military aircraft circled around it, firing away with every weapon they had.  Even as Ishiro watched, the monster retaliated.  The featureless mirror that made up the creature's face flashed.  A brilliant beam of light arched outwards, blasting one of the offending aircraft out of the sky and creating the trademark cross shaped explosion exclusive to the Angels.

            Ishiro heard the screech of tires behind him and saw a blue car coming to a sudden stop.  The passenger side door swung open.  "Get in!" shouted the woman in the driver's seat.

            "About time," muttered Ishiro before diving through the door.  Misato pulled the door shut behind him and shifted the car into gear, heading to the nearest boarding platform for a car train.

            "You people need to work about your punctuality," commented Ishiro as Misato drove.

            "Sorry about that," replied Misato, "I was only told about this ten minutes ago."

            "Gee," retorted Ishiro sarcastically, "It sure is a good thing that we're not in the middle of a crisis."

            "Don't give me any of your crap!" snapped Misato, glaring at the boy.  The glare only seemed to amuse Ishiro.  He did stop any more complaints he might have had.  Misato picked up a cell phone and began to dial.

            "This is Major Katsuragi.  Yes, I've got the 6th child.  Oh don't worry; I'll have him there soon.  Can you get an express car train ready?  Thank you."  She turned off the phone.  "Welcome to NERV," she told Ishiro.

            Ishiro merely turned his head around to observe the gigantic form of the Angel behind them.  "Welcome indeed."

            Misato took a moment to get a better look at her passenger.  The boy was about Shinji's height.  He was muscular, but not overly so.  His unruly brown hair gave him a slightly disheveled appearance.  His eyes were also a soft brown color.  As the boy watched the Angel, his eyes seemed to switch from brown to glowing red and back to brown.  Misato suppressed a shudder and drove on.

***

            "Major Katsuragi reports that she has the 6th child and she will be arriving in 15 minutes.

            "Excellent," said Gendo, "Kouzou, would you meet them and escort them to the holding cage for Unit 14?"

            "Yes sir," replied Fuyutsuki, walking off to fulfill his orders.

            "Good," commented Ikari, who headed for a personnel elevator himself.

***

            As the door out of the parking lot slid open, Misato found herself standing face to face with Fuyutsuki.  "Oh!  H-hello sir," she stammered.

            "Come with me," was the only thing Fuyutsuki said.  Without waiting for a response, he walked down the hallways of NERV, turning at seemingly random points.  Misato, knowing better than to question the vice commander, followed silently.  Behind her, Ishiro followed them.  Neither Misato nor her superior could see him.  Therefore, they could not see the knowing smile on his face.

            Finally, Fuyutsuki stood in front of a seemingly blank portion of wall.  Without hesitation, he placed his hand on a flat panel.  The panel flared white and a smaller panel underneath it flipped open, revealing a keypad.  Fuyutsuki keyed in his code swiftly.

            Slowly, a seam appeared in the wall, forming the outline of a door.  Misato couldn't hold back her curiosity anymore.  "Where are you taking us sir?"

            "You will soon see," replied Fuyutsuki softly.  The door slid upward into the ceiling.

            "So," whispered Ishiro, his voice barely audible, "A spare for a spare."  He grinned.

            Fuyutsuki lead them down the secret hallway.  They emerged onto a platform overlooking an ocean of cryo-stasis fluid.  On the other side of the pink colored fluid Misato saw what was unmistakably an Evangelion holding cage.  A small rubber boat with an outboard motor floated in front of the platform.

            They boarded the boat and took it across the sea of fluid.  Passing through the door located in the solid wall, they entered an area that was completely black.  Ishiro and Misato entered first.  When Fuyutsuki shut the door behind them, the darkness became total.

            Looking ahead, Misato suddenly saw to glowing red points in the darkness, exactly where Ishiro's eyes probably should have been.  The lights came on, and the glowing red points were replaced by Ishiro's gentle brown eyes.  Misato suppressed a shudder and looked at the titanic occupant of the holding cage.

            Misato couldn't help but gasp when she saw the thing in front of her.  It was an Eva alright.  This would have been indistinguishable from Unit 01 had it not been for the fact that the Unit was pitch black in color.

            "So this is the fourteenth," observed Ishiro.

            Both Misato and Fuyutsuki whirled around to look at the boy in stunned shock.  How could he have known exactly what the Eva was?  Ishiro gazed at the Eva with a look of admiration.  He felt something very appealing about it.  "I take it that I am to pilot this thing," he observed.

            "That is correct," came a voice from the observation chamber located a the top and back of the holding cage.  In the chamber stood Commander Ikari, gazing coldly down at the 6th child.

            "At last I meet the infamous Commander Ikari," stated Ishiro, a smirk appearing on his face as he met Gendo's gaze without hesitation.

            "You will pilot this Eva against the Angels," instructed Gendo.

            Ishiro lowered his gaze back down to the Eva, his smirk not disappearing.  After a moment, he looked back up at Commander Ikari.  "If I am to pilot this thing, what exactly do you intend to give me in exchange for my services?"

            "What?" gasped Fuyutsuki, "What do you mean?"

            "Funny," observed Ishiro, glancing at the vice commander, "I didn't take you for a simpleton."  Ignoring Fuyutsuki's growl, he turned to regard Commander Ikari once again.  "As I was saying, you don't expect to send me out there and place my life on the line for a city which I have never set foot in before today, against an enemy who has done nothing against me, and you expect me to do this without making out the terms of my service."

            "None of the other children have ever demanded such things," Ikari pointed out.

            "Perhaps that is because the children know nothing besides piloting the Evas," retorted Ishiro, "I _do however, have other things that I can do with my time."_

            A tremor ran through the facility, causing the 6th child to look up towards the ceiling.  Turning to look back at Gendo, he smirked.  "Perhaps this is not the best time to discuss the terms of my employment.  I shall pilot this thing and eliminate the current threat.  Then we can get down to the matter of my extended tenure here."

            "That will do for now," replied Gendo.

            "Then let us not waste anymore time," declared Ishiro, smiling widely.

***

            "The holding cage has been drained," announced Maya, "Injecting entry plug."

            The plug slid down into the Eva at the base of its spine.  The armored plates of the gigantic bio-android slid into place over it.  "Filling the entry plug."

            "Oops, said Misato slyly, "I guess I forgot to tell him about the LCL."  Remembering Shinji's initial reaction to the LCL, she looked forward to Ishiro's reaction, hoping it would humble the boy a bit.

            Ishiro didn't seem to be concerned when the entry plug filled with the translucent fluid.  "I take it that this stuff will oxygenate my blood directly," he remarked.

            "How did you know?" exclaimed Misato.

            Ishiro held back his response as the fluid rose above the level of his head.  When he was fully immersed, he made his reply.  "What other reason would you even think about almost drowning me in this stuff?"  He grimaced slightly.  "This must be one of those acquired tastes.  You wouldn't happen to have this stuff in some other flavor.  Blood's really not my favorite."

            "Oh stop you're whining," scolded Misato, "You're a boy you know."  She had used that very remark in Shinji on that fateful day so long ago.

            "And you would know what that's all about," retorted Ishiro, his smirk returning.

            "What's that?" growled Misato.

            "Is there something you would like to share with the rest of us Major," taunted Ishiro.

            Misato's mouth moved but no words came out.  Her eyes were wide with surprise and rage.  How dare this boy even think about calling her a…she couldn't bring herself to think about it.  Looking around, she noticed several of the technicians, including Maya were holding back giggles.  Shigeru looked like he was ready to burst at the seams with laughter.

            "Opening bi-directional circuits," announced Maya shakily.  "Synchronization reading at 150%."  Her eyes widened.  "How is this possible?" she whispered.

            "No one can synchronize that well their first time," agreed Misato.

***

            Ishiro sat rigid in the entry plug.  He felt another presence in the Eva, a powerful one, but also a gentle one.  As soon as he had entered the Eva he felt like he was being scrutinized, examined like a specimen under a microscope.  It was an unsettling feeling.  Finally he felt a sense of recognition from the being.  Then, its presence unfolded, surrounding him, engulfing him and filling him with strength.

            "I am ready," he said.

***

            "Harmonics seem normal," reported Maya, "S2 engine is stable and at full power.  All systems go for launch.  Beginning final safety check."  She waited while the screen relayed the information to her.  "All systems green.  Launch path has been opened.  The path is clear.  Evangelion Unit 14 ready for launch."  She turned to look at Misato for the final order.

            "Eva launch!" yelled Misato.  The launch platform shot upward like a rocket.  Inside the cockpit, Ishiro felt the momentum pressing him into the seat of the entry plug.  He smiled as the Eva made its assent to the surface.

***

            Topside, the hundred meter Angel was slowly making its way towards the heart of the city.  In front of the Angel, the final doors of the elevator opened and the Eva arrived seconds later.  Its black form stood as tall as the Angel.  As the Angel regarded it, its core flared.

            "Ishiro?" asked Misato, "Are you ready?"

            "Absolutely," said Ishiro in all confidence, "Let me at the bastard."

            "Final safety locks…release!"  The last two locks that had secured the Eva to its launch pad opened, releasing the Eva's shoulder braces.  The Eva seemed to sag forward under the burden of its own weight.  "Evangelion Unit 14…move out!"

            "I don't know how he's going to pull this off," remarked Maya, "He may be synchronized at 150%, but he's never piloted before.  How's he going to know how to make it walk, much less fight?"

            "We don't have a choice," replied Misato.  To Ishiro she said, "Engage the enemy!"

            To her stunned surprise, the Eva strode off the launch pad.  Its gait was smooth and controlled.  The Eva itself was perfectly balanced.  As it walked forward, the Angel/Eva began its attack.  It punched forward with its right arm, the arm extending to an impossible length.

            "Look out!" shouted Misato.  Unit 14 smoothly sidestepped the attack, twisting and reaching out with its left hand to grab the Angel's arm.  Continuing its spin, the Eva yanked on the Angel's arm, forcing the Angel to stumble forward slightly.  The Eva reversed the direction of its spin so that it was now pulling, but facing the opposite direction.  The Angel's arm seemed to flex and bend like a rope.  The Angel stumbled into the Eva's reach.

            Unit 14 punched with its right fist as it pulled on the Angel's arm with its left, yanking the Angel right into its punch.  The blow struck the Angel right in the center of its mirror-like face, sending it reeling back away from the Eva.  Unit 14 pulled on the Angel's arm again, forcing the Angel to come back.  This time, the Eva lashed out with a kick while releasing the Angel's arm.  The Angel was sent flying backwards.

            The Angel slowly righted itself.  As it did so, its left shoulder brace opened up, revealing the handle of a progressive knife.  The Angel pulled the knife from its sheath.  Immediately, the knife began to hum with ultrasonic energy.

            "Ishiro, engage your progressive knife," instructed Misato.

            Ishiro didn't respond.  Instead, he faced the Angel head on, the Eva's arms hung motionless at its sides.  The Angel charged forward.  Ignoring Misato, who was screaming at him to follow orders, Ishiro waited for the Angel to get nearer.  The Angel thrust forward with its knife.  However, Unit 14 had already left the ground.  A flying forward flip sent it soaring over the Angel's head to touchdown lightly behind the monstrosity.  The Angel immediately spun around, its knife held for a backhanded slash that would sever the Eva's head at the neck.

            Ishiro seemed to already know what the Angel was going to try.  The Eva had already ducked down by the time the Angel had entered its spin.  The knife slashed harmlessly over Unit 14's head.  The Eva then went into a forward roll, right before the Angel reversed both its grip on the knife and the direction of its swing, trying to stab downward.  By the time it did so, the Eva was already out of reach.

            This game went on for another few minutes.  Ishiro seemed to know every move his enemy was going to make before it made it.  The Angel couldn't so much as touch Unit 14, which hadn't even deployed its AT field yet.

            Misato had forgotten her anger at being disobeyed.  The anger was replaced by a profound sense of awe at the boy's natural skill for piloting the Eva.  Moreover, unlike Shinji, Ishiro seemed to enjoy every minute of it.

            As the Eva dodged away yet another time, Ishiro finally decided that he had enough toying with his prey.  "It's time for a counterattack," he announced.  However, the Eva did not reach for its progressive knife.  Rather, it retreated a short distance and stood with its arms hanging down again.

            "I need a more effective weapon than that knife," the boy muttered.  The Eva, sensing this, responded appropriately.  The metal plates over the Eva's wrists began to bulge as if something was pressing at them from underneath.  Inside the cockpit, Ishiro felt the bulges as if they were his own wrists.  Slowly, a seam opened in the plates, running down the center of the bulge.  At last, the sheets of metal parted.  From the opening in each wrist, there emerged a black rod.  The rod was about as long as the handle for a progressive knife.  The two rods flipped down into the Eva's hands.  The Eva's mouth opened and it emitted a low, gurgling bellow.

            "This just isn't possible!" Maya nearly shrieked, "The Eva can't modify its body to that degree just to suit the whims of the pilot."

            "It just did," observed Gendo from his seat.  His face held a look of intense interest.

            Ishiro marveled at the mysterious objects for a moment.  Even he wasn't sure what they did.  However, their purpose became clear when, with a flare of orange light, a shaft of light emerged from the end of each rod, extending down towards the ground.  The shafts lengthened and shifted until it had taken form.  They were the unmistakable shapes of sword blades.

            "What are those?" gasped Misato.

            "The sensors show that they're AT fields," announced Makoto.

            "The Eva can manipulate the shape of its AT field," gasped Fuyutsuki, "That's impossible."

            "So far everything about this fight has been impossible," remarked Ikari, his tone suspicious, "The boy's ability to synchronize at such a high level, his natural control over the Eva, his skill in battle, his ability to manipulate and shape the Eva's very body to his will, even the ability to shape and manipulate an AT field.

            The Angel regarded the Eva, its featureless face conveying nothing, but its posture indicating the monster's uncertainty.  Unit 14 raised the sword in its right head until it held the blade in front of its face in a salute.  It then lowered the sword and awaited the Angel's move.

            The Angel finally made up its mind.  It charged forward, its knife leading.  Unit 14 remained motionless.  The Angel came on, its charge seemingly unstoppable.  It was now almost on top of Unit 14.

            The Eva's movements were almost too fast for the eye to follow.  The first slash sheared through the blade of the progressive knife.  The second, coming from the other hand, sliced through the Angel's chest.  The third strike severed the Angel's leading arm while the fourth strike sliced diagonally through the chest and shoulder.

            Several more slashes followed, each faster and more difficult to trace than the last.  The Angel seemed to be in the center of a whirlwind of glowing orange lines as the blades struck again and again, their AT fields shearing effortlessly through armor, flesh and bone.  A final thrust from the Eva's left sword impaled the Angel's core.  The storm of slashes ended abruptly.

            For a moment, both the Angel and the Eva seemed frozen, motionless.  Finally, the Angel seemed to fall apart.  Its body had been sliced into dozens of pieces, all of them tumbling to the streets below.  At last, only the core remained, impaled on the Eva's left sword.

            Unit 14 held the pose for a moment.  Then, with a flick of the wrist, it sent the spherical red core flying up off the end of the sword.  The Eva sliced the core with both blades in a crisscross motion that cut the core into neat quarters, which followed the remains of the doomed Angel.  The blades disappeared.  Unit 14 twisted its grip on the rods until they were held next to its wrists.  The rods seemed to melt into the metal skin of the Eva's wrists.

            "Mission completed," declared Ishiro.

            Silence reigned in the command center.  Then, slowly at first, someone began to applaud.  The level of applause increased in volume and intensity.  It was followed by cheers and shouts of exultation.  Soon, the entire command center was in a celebratory uproar.

            Only three individuals did not join in the celebration.  Ikari watched the Eva with a look of intense interest.  Fuyutsuki watched with a look that bordered on disbelief.  Misato also watched Unit 14 with a similar look.  She cast a worried glance at a monitor that showed Shinji huddled under a random stairway.  She would have to talk to the 3rd Child later.

***

            Ishiro stepped out of the entry plug.  Smiling, he looked fondly at the Eva he had just emerged from.  It had been an experience of a lifetime to pilot Unit 14.  Ishiro turned to face the group of people who had come to greet him.

            "Good job," said Misato exultantly, placing her hands on the boy's shoulders.  Ishiro smiled smugly.  Maya, Fuyutsuki and Gendo stood behind Misato.

            "You are to be commended," remarked Fuyutsuki, though his face showed that he did not agree with his own statement, "We took only minimal damage thanks to your skill in piloting Unit 14."

            "Speaking of Unit 14," said Misato, turning to face the commander and vice commander of NERV, "Why was it such a big secret."

            "There is something very different about this one," stated Ishiro from behind her, drawing a confused look from both her and Fuyutsuki, "Something that sets it apart from the other Evas."

            "That is correct," came a voice from farther down the passage.  A blond haired woman strode up the passageway.  She was dressed in a white lab coat and appeared to be about Misato's age.

            "Ritsuko," gasped Misato, "But your arrest…?"

            "All a ruse," replied Ritsuko, "Gendo needed me to devote my total attention to Unit 14.  But I couldn't do it without raising suspicion, so we staged my incarceration in order to give me the chance to work on the unit unnoticed."

            "And an excellent job you have done Dr. Akagi," commented Ishiro, not even noticing Ritsuko's surprise, "You have indeed created a work of art."  He grinned.  "Perhaps you would like to tell us what makes this Eva so different from the rest."

            "What makes you think you are entitled to that information?" demanded Ritsuko.

            "It is one of the conditions of having me as a pilot," replied Ishiro nonchalantly, "That and the opportunity to become an assistant of sorts to you Doctor so that I might find out all there is to know about this Eva."

            "Speaking of your conditions," interjected Ikari, "I think you had better list them now so that we can separate the reasonable from the ludicrous."

            "Certainly," said Ishiro, "First, I will be allowed unimpeded access to all data concerning this specific Eva.  Second, I shall participate with Dr. Akagi on all experiments and the like conducted on this specific Eva.  And third, outside of attacks on the city, I shall arrange my own schedule for all tests synchronization tests and medical exams."

            "Hmm."  Commander Ikari considered the demands carefully, weighing them, gauging them, trying to see where the boy stood to benefit from them.  Finally, he gave his answer.  "Very well, I agree to all your conditions."

            "Excellent," remarked Ishiro, smiling coldly, "I'm sure that working with you will prove to be an interesting experience Commander."

            For the first time in his life, Gendo Ikari found himself suppressing a shudder as he watched the boy.  Ikari was used to being the manipulator, using people to suit his own ends.  He had never realized that someone could turn the tables on him so easily.  Without saying another word, Gendo left, Fuyutsuki following right behind him.

            "And now," said Ishiro, turning to Misato, "Let us find the 3rd child."

***

            Shinji had not moved from under the stairs for over an hour now.  He remained motionless, hugging his knees to his chest and resting his head against them.  He no longer fought back tears because they could no longer come.  In the distance, he heard footsteps echoing down the hallways.  He was sure that they were coming for him now, probably to drag him and throw him into the cockpit of his Eva so that he could go fight for them.

            "Let them try," he muttered weakly.  Everything was wrong.  Rei was nothing more than a walking dummy plug.  He would probably never live to hear Asuka insult him, call him an idiot or hit him again, never live to see hear her laugh again.  He would probably die alone in the world.

            Even Misato couldn't help things.  For a while he had thought that she had actually cared about him, that he mattered to her.  He had thought that she could be like his mother.  How foolish he had been.  He was nothing but a tool to her.  She manipulated him, just like his father had.

            The steps grew closer.  There were two of them.  Finally, they emerged from the darkness of the hallway into his view.  The first was indeed Misato.  The second was a boy about Shinji's age, remaining in the shadows.  The boy's eyes were two red pinpoints in the darkness over his face.

            "Shinji…" Misato began, about to scold him for running away again, for only caring about himself.  But the boy reached out his arm so that it blocked her from moving forward.  An excellent sign that he wished her to be silent.

            The boy came and crawled under the stairs to sit down next to Shinji.  Brown had replaced the red in his eyes.  His face was filled with a look of kindness.  He sat next to Shinji, looking across at the wall in front of them, saying nothing.

            Misato was about to start again, but the boy silenced her with a glare.  Misato took the hint and left the way she had come.  The boy remained where he was, saying nothing.

            For the first time in his life, Shinji found that he could stand the silence no more.  He turned and looked at his companion.  "Who are you?" he asked quietly.

            The boy smiled, returning Shinji's stare.  "I am Ishiro Saegusa," he answered.  His smile widened.  "And you are…?"

            "Shinji," replied Shinji, managing a weak smile of his own.

            Ishiro turned his head back to look at the wall in front of him, the smile lingering on his face.  "Would you like to tell me?" he inquired gently.  Shinji started.  "I can tell just by watching you that you have been through hardship and trouble.  Will you tell me what is happening to the boy whose smile is so much more becoming than a frown?"

            Shinji was silent for a moment as he searched for the right words.  He realized that he wanted to bear his soul to this boy he had known only for a few short minutes, to spill the story of sorrow, fear and anger that had been welling up inside of him ever since he had first arrived in Tokyo 3.  "I don't know where to begin," he said softly.

            "Where stories always begin," replied Ishiro, "At the beginning."

***

            The ocean is a vast place.  The blast of heat from the second impact that melted the ice over Antarctica served only to make it even vaster.  The ocean is the cradle of all life.  From its waters crawled the ancestors of all animals, the soft lapping of its waves had worn away countries and continents.  Its waves and currents had remade the world a hundred times over.

            The ocean is the perfect place for many things.  It is the perfect place to hunt, to live, to play, to drift, or to die.  Yes, the ocean is the perfect place for many things.  It is also the perfect place to hide.  The ocean's vastness hides ranges of mountains that dwarf the highest ones ever to grace the land and valleys deep enough that those same mountains could sink into them and never be seen again.  In a place so vast and in terrain so varied, even the largest of things could be hidden and never be found.

            At the bottom of the ocean known as the pacific, many hundreds of feet down, the ground was littered with bones.  Not the bones of animals, but rather the bones of ships long since sunken beneath the sea.  The age of these ships ranged across all eras.  Some were as old as the mid 1950s, others were more modern, some of them coming from times as recent as 2001.  Among the graveyard of hulking ships was the singular reason they were there.

            The ocean is the perfect place to hide.  Many secrets are locked away in its depths.  At the bottom of the pacific, among the wrecks and ghosts of ships long lost, one such secret was about to become a secret no more as something among the wrecks, something enormous, stirred.

  



	2. Awakenings

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion.  Also there are other characters (who for the purpose of dramatic tension I cannot name) that I also do not own.  They and their owners will be given their proper due in the disclaimer of the next chapter.

**Chapter 2:** Awakenings

            The _Tsunami was just another ship belonging to the Pacific fleet.  There were very few ships remaining in the Pacific fleet anymore.  What was unusual was that this particular ship was completely alone.  Normally, ships moved in convoys, each providing mutual protection for the others.  However, the __Tsunami's captain had his own reasons for keeping his distance from other ships._

            The _Tsunami was bound for Tokyo 3.  It carried a full cargo of munitions and supplies.  The most important of which were five N2 mines.  Over the course of multiple Angel attacks, NERV had used up a significant portion of its N2 weapons.  These five would be the first of several delivered secretly to restock the organization's supplies.  Of course, nobody in NERV would be informed of the remote detonator circuitry located in each of the bombs so that they could be triggered from halfway around the planet if necessary.  Just in case the commander of NERV got the idea that he did not need his superiors anymore._

            Of course, that was assuming that the _Tsunami_ made it into port at all.  The day was bright and sunny, the waters calm and smooth.  The battleship cut cleanly across the surface of the ocean.  There seemed to be nothing that could waylay it.

            "Sir!" the shout rang out across the bridge as one of the men addressed his captain.  The man in question was currently staring at a radar screen.  "The radar is picking up something, something enormous!"

            "Where?" inquired the captain, taking an opportunity to scan the horizon.  He saw no signs of any other vessels at the moment.

            "It's five hundred meters off the starboard bow at a depth of about 75 meters."  The sailor looked at the screen again and gasped.  "It's over 100 meters in length!"

            "Let's try radio contact," instructed the captain, "Hail them."

            "No response," called the communications officer after few moments.

            "It's started moving sir," called the man minding the radar screen.  "It's coming straight at us."

            "Fire torpedoes!" ordered the captain.  The torpedoes were away before the echoes from his voice stopped rattling across the bridge.  Seconds later, twin plumes of water shot upwards off the ship's starboard flank.

            "It's still coming!" shouted the sailor.

            "Fire again!" shouted the captain, but his orders came too late as the object collided with the starboard bow of the ship with terrific force.  The entire ship shuddered and nearly capsized.  The captain and several other sailors were thrown off their feet from the force of the collision.

            "Damage report!" shouted the captain as he struggled to his feet.

            "We're taking on water!" was the panicked response to his order.

            "The object is directly beneath us!" came the report from the radar, "Its coming up fast!"

            As if this were a cue, the water around and under the ship began to froth and churn wildly, almost seeming to boil.  This was punctuated by brief but intense flashes of white light that failed to illuminate the object rising from beneath.

            Only a few seconds later, with a thunderous blast, the ship burst into flame, breaking nearly in half as it was slammed from below with terrific force.  Slowly, the two pieces of ship slipped into the fiercely churning water.  A minute later, the waters calmed and became still.  Everything was as if the ship had never existed

***

            The tale had gone on for more than an hour.  Shinji had left out very few details.  Ishiro listened quietly, looking straight ahead.  Despite this, Shinji knew that he was listening very carefully.  Finally, Shinji's story reached the present.

            After concluding his narrative, Shinji sat and awaited Ishiro's response.  For a long time, Ishiro said nothing, looking straight ahead.  His face was carefully neutral as he turned over the information in his mind.  Finally, Ishiro rendered his verdict.  "It seems that our most pressing issue at this time is the condition of your friend, Asuka."

            Shinji nodded his agreement.  Ishiro went on.  "However, since she is in a comatose state, it is unlikely that there is anything at the current time that we can do to help."  He held up a hand to forestall Shinji forthcoming objection.  "However, merely being there and offering our support can often supply the best remedy to the situation."  He grinned as he turned to meet Shinji's gaze.  "Let's face it, no matter her condition; you won't do Asuka much good if you stay huddled under a stairway all day long."

            Ishiro stood up and offered Shinji his right hand to help him up.  Shinji took the proffered hand without hesitation.  He was stunned to find that the skin on the hand wasn't in fact skin at all.  As soon as he was on his feet, Shinji let go of Ishiro's hand quickly, staring at it with surprise.  Ishiro looked at Shinji, then at the object of Shinji's surprise and chuckled.  "That is a story for another day," said Ishiro.

            They began to walk towards the medical wing of the geofront.  As they walked, Ishiro directed a grin at the hidden cameral mounted on the wall.  Shinji walked on, oblivious to their unseen observer.

***

            Misato leaned back in her seat as she watched the two children walk off.  "That kid creeps me out," she declared.  She had never seen Shinji open up to anyone in that way, not even her.  The only other person he had opened up to was Kaoru.  He had turned out to be the 17th Angel.

            "You aren't the only one," agreed Maya, "I can't help but wonder how he was able to synchronize so quickly and completely with Unit 14."

            "Perhaps it was not the boy," suggested Ritsuko as she joined the only two other occupants of Command center, the others having long since gone home.

            "It's good to have you back Dr." said Maya with a smile.  She had been Ritsuko's protégé of a sort and looked at Ritsuko like a second mother.

            "It's good to be back Maya," replied Ritsuko, "And I am very proud of how well you have performed in my absence."  Maya turned away, hiding a blush at the unexpected compliment.

            "What do you mean it wasn't the boy?" asked Misato, interrupting the exchange between teacher and student.

            "What I mean is that it could have been the Eva," answered Ritsuko, "Despite its resemblance to Unit 01, Unit 14 is very different."

            "And why's that?" demanded Misato irritably.

            "Unit 14's cells are drawn from the same source as Unit 01.  It even uses the same design.  There is only one difference."  Ritsuko paused, letting the tension build.

            "And that difference is…" Misato pressed.

            "The cells of Unit 14 were spliced with cells from something else," Ritsuko frowned, "I'm not at liberty to discuss their origins with you.  What I can tell you is this.  After its first combat test, it is clear that Unit 14's unique abilities stem from the splicing."

            "Abilities?" asked Misato, emphasizing the fact that Ritsuko's statement was plural.

            "First, it can modify itself to suit the pilot's needs.  It can also return itself to its original state.  When I ran an analysis of the Eva after the battle, I found no sign of those two rods.  It was as if they never existed.  Second, its rate of regeneration is over ten times faster than Unit 01.  I have also discovered that these grafts give Unit 14 an innate immunity to the effects of radioactivity.  It can even function fully in the most hostile irradiated environments.  In fact, it seems that radioactivity can actually stimulate its regenerative abilities.  I can't tell you anything else without violating confidentiality.  I'll probably have to share that stuff with the boy and I have little doubt that he'll eventually tell you.  Until then, you learn anything else on a need to know basis."  Ritsuko sighed, collapsing into a nearby chair.

            "Great," growled Misato, "More secrets."

***

            "This was unexpected," remarked Seele 02.  In a space that did not really exist, twelve monoliths stood in a circle.  Each was marked by a number.  Each was designed to hind the identity of the man who waited behind it.  This was Seele.

            "Indeed," agreed 05.

            "It was very cunning of Ikari to hide from us the fact that he had a 14th Evangelion," stated 09.

            "It is also unusual that he actually succeeded in keeping it a secret from us," said 01.

            "He will pay," growled the voice of 12.

            "Not now," said 01, "For other events have been set in motion.  These events may well exact our revenge for us."

***

            "So this is Asuka," remarked Ishiro as he watched the girl on the bed.  She was much the same as before.  A nurse had closed her eyes to keep them from drying out.  Ishiro sat on a chair against the wall.  Shinji sat on a chair much closer to Asuka's bed.

            Shinji watched Asuka, much of his sadness and helplessness was returning.  _What am I thinking? he thought bitterly, __I'm not doing her any good no matter what I do._

            "All we can do is wait," stated Ishiro behind him, "It will do her a world of good to wake up and find you waiting there."

            "If she wakes up," replied Shinji cynically without turning to look at Ishiro.

            _Oh, she'll wake up, thought Ishiro._

***

            Asuka floated in a sea of her own despair.  First, she had been bested.  Then, she had failed.  Then, she had become useless.  Then, she had been violated in the most personal way possible.  And finally, she had been merely replaced, cast aside like so much useless garbage while NERV found someone else to do what she could not.

            _No one cares about me.  She slipped deeper into depression._

            _Now that's just not true, replied a new voice in a matter of fact tone.  It had not come from any other part of her mind.  Asuka realized that she was no longer alone in her own head._

            _Who are you? she demanded, furious that anyone would intrude on her most personal and private thoughts._

            _You think that this is really violating your privacy, replied the voice mockingly, __Your__ thoughts are so predictable that someone doesn't need to snoop around in your head to know what they are._

_            I don't care who you think you are!_ she practically screamed, _Get out of my head and leave me alone!_

_            Alone to do what?  Drown in a sea of your own despair?_

_            Why shouldn't I?  It's obvious that I'm useless.  There's no point in me living._

_            You are only useless if you believe you are.  You are only useless if you want to be._

_            They don't need me.  Not when they've got their wonderful Shinji._

_            Are you feeling so bad because he's better than you at something._

_            He's better than me at the only thing that matters in my life.  He's got a perfect synchronization rate while I can't even activate my Eva anymore._

_            Has it ever occurred to you that your moping around is what is keeping you from achieving the same sync rate or even a better one than Shinji.  You sulk and that keeps you from joining mind and soul with your Eva.  You're too busy feeling sorry for yourself to do the thing that is most important to you._

_            Even if I could do it better, they wouldn't care.  No one really cares about me.  I'm a tool, a doll, an expendable asset; I don't really matter to anyone._

_            Damn you're stubborn, even when you're depressed.  Once again you are mistaken.  You think nobody cares because you only see yourself in terms of your usefulness as a pilot of Evangelion.  There are people who care about you because there's more to you than Asuka the Eva pilot._

_            Like what?_

_            Like Asuka, the girl so driven that she put herself through a university at the age of 14, or like Asuka, the girl whose glare can make any man quiver in fear, or Asuka, the girl who when she isn't beating herself up about things she shouldn't is one of the best friends a person can have.  There are dozens of people who care about you.  But because you look at yourself through only one facet of your life you shut them out and forget who they are._

_            And who are these people?_  Asuka was quickly getting tired of this conversation.

            _I don't need to tell you.  You know who they are.  But if you need proof…all you have to do is OPEN YOUR EYES!_

            Obeying a force not of her own volition, Asuka's eyes snapped open, her consciousness returned.  She found herself staring at a blank white ceiling with a single fluorescent light glowing softly at its center.  Asuka heard a sharp intake of breath next to her.

            "You're awake!"  Shinji grabbed her hand tightly.  In his eyes, Asuka saw the beginnings of tears, tears of joy.  "I'm so sorry," he sobbed as he held her hand in a death grip, "It's all my fault."

            "Shinji," she said, blushing slightly.  She was stunned that he cared so much about her.  She realized that perhaps the voice had been right.

            "Is there anything I can get you?" demanded Shinji quickly, "Food, water, clothes, anything?"

            "Calm down Ikari," came a mild voice from behind Shinji.  Looking over his shoulder, Asuka saw the third occupant of the room.  The new boy, looking strangely amused, smiled when he saw that she was watching him.

            "Welcome back to the world of the living Asuka Langley Soryu," he said cheerfully.

            _How did he know my name? wondered Asuka._

            Shinji was too busy worrying over her to notice the peculiarity of the boy standing behind him.

            "That's enough Shinji," said the boy decisively.  Shinji quieted down but didn't let go of Asuka's hand.  He had long since given up the battle to hold back his tears.  They now streamed down his face.  One or two of them fell on Asuka's hand, but for some reason she didn't mind.

            The boy looked more closely at Asuka, "Food will be fine, then a change of clothes and probably a few other things.  Somebody will have to notify command that you're finally awake."

            He looked at Shinji, "Why don't you take care of that?" he inquired.

            "Yes, right away," replied Shinji hastily.  He let go of Asuka's hand and rushed out the door.

            The boy chuckled as he watched Shinji to go.  "And you thought nobody cared about you," he remarked.

            "How did you know about that?" gasped Asuka.

            The boy moved and took Shinji's seat next to Asuka.  "Shinji has shared with me quite a bit about your history, especially the recent events which have been the cause of your former condition."

            "You must think I'm a weakling," muttered Asuka.

            "I never did believe in first impressions really," replied the boy cheerily, "Particularly since they're the ones other people believe are most important, so they set up a façade to gain the approval of others.  From what Shinji has told me, you're one of the strongest individuals he knows.  You just need to have more faith in yourself."

            "Who are you?" asked Asuka.

            The boy beamed, "I thought you would never ask.  My name is Ishiro Saegusa.  I am the 6th child."

            "You're what!?" Asuka snapped.

            "Don't worry.  I haven't replaced you.  While you were out, another Angel attacked Tokyo 3.  Neither you nor Shinji could pilot.  Shinji was too concerned about you to leave you're side so he refused to get in his Eva.  They used me to pilot their newest Eva, Unit 14."  Ishiro shrugged.  He decided it would be better not to mention the incident under the stairs.

            "Unit 14?"  Asuka's voice was on autopilot now.  She was filled with wonder that Shinji had cared so much about her.

            "Probably NERV's best kept secret," replied Ishiro.  He grinned as he recognized the distant look on her face.  "You probably never realized that Shinji or anyone else cared so much about you."

            Asuka nodded.  Ishiro turned his head to look at the door.  "I think I hear Shinji and somebody else coming back.  Why don't I help you sit up since they're probably bringing food?"

            "I can help myself up," replied Asuka as she pushed herself up with her elbows.  It was hard work, so she didn't complain when Ishiro arranged her pillow so that she could rest her back against it.

            A few seconds later the door opened to reveal Shinji, a doctor and a nurse bearing a tray of food.  Asuka's stomach growled at the sight of the food.  Being fed intravenously isn't really all that filling after all.  However, the doctor insisted on giving Asuka a full physical examination before allowing her to eat.

            After the examination, the doctor left, allowing the nurse to place the tray of food in front of Asuka.  Asuka ate frantically.

            "Careful or you might choke," said Ishiro, on the verge of amused laughter, "Though I'm glad to see that you still have a healthy appetite."

            Asuka didn't bother to respond.  She continued to eat.  After being in a comatose state for so long, even Misato's cooking much less hospital fare would have been welcome.  It wasn't long before she had cleared her plate.

            "I guess you can go back to your home now," remarked Ishiro, "Are you up to walking?"

            "Of course I am," replied Asuka, her cocky attitude back.  After Ishiro removed the tray, Asuka lifted the blanket and swung her legs out until they hung off the bed.  Finally, she carefully lowered herself to the floor.

            Pens and needles shot up her legs instantly.  She growled away the pain and forced more of her weight on the weak muscles.  Finally, leaning only slightly on the bed, Asuka had rested her entire weight on her legs.  Very slowly and carefully, she took her first step.

            The weary limbs gave out almost instantly.  Asuka was about to pitch face first onto the floor when somebody grabbed her arm, restoring her balance.  Looking up, Asuka saw Shinji's concerned face.  Without a reply, he gently draped her arm around his shoulders and took some of the weight off of her feet.  For some reason, Asuka didn't feel like arguing.

            "I'll call Major Katsuragi and let her know that you're ready to leave," announced Ishiro.

***

            "What?" shouted Misato into the phone, "Asuka's awake?"  A thousand different looks crossed Misato's face.  Many of them reflected her concern for the child who had become in many ways like a daughter to her.  "Is she alright?"  After hearing the reply, Misato nodded, saying, "I'll pick her up right away."

            "Well?" inquired Rtisuko.

            "Asuka just woke up."  Misato smiled.  "She's perfectly fine; she just wants to go home."

            "I'm sure Shinji must be elated," remarked Ritsuko.

            "He was there when she woke up," replied Misato.  "Ishiro is the one who called me."

            "There is definitely something strange about that boy," stated Maya firmly.

***

            "You will be housed here," stated Ishiro's guide.  He indicated the apartment.  The apartment quite roomy.  Looking around, Ishiro saw that it already had all of the necessary furniture and equipment.  The apartment consisted of a kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom, perfect for a person living alone.

            "I think I'm going to like it here," declared Ishiro.

***

            "Ah," said Asuka, flopping down onto her own bed, "It's so good to be back."

            "It's so good to have you back," said Misato, who watched Asuka from her door.

            Misato went into the living room.  Asuka just lay on her back in her bed, listening to the familiar sounds of her home.  A few minutes later, she heard the sounds and smells of Shinji making their dinner.  She smiled, she didn't want to tell him, but she was fond of Shinji's cooking.  She heard the sounds of the TV droning on in the background as Misato flipped through the different channels.  She even heard the pleased squawking of Pen Pen as he went around the apartment doing something or other.

            Asuka sighed.  It was indeed good to be home.

***

            Later that night, Asuka lounged on the living room couch.  The TV was on, but she wasn't really paying attention to it.  Her thoughts were elsewhere, on Unit 02, on her future, on what the voice had said, on Shinji.  She barely noticed as someone sat down next to her on the couch.

            Asuka yelped in surprise as Shinji rested his hand on hers.  Looking over and realizing who it was she smiled.  "Oh, it's you," she said, slightly embarrassed that she had allowed him to sneak up on her like that.

            "Are you feeling alright?" asked Shinji, his eyes betraying his concern for her.

            "I'm fine," replied Asuka, "I can already walk again.  Pretty soon I'll be back in Unit 02."

            "That's good," said Shinji.  Asuka heard a hint of relief in his tone.  She was touched by how much he cared about her.

            _Then why do I keep pushing him away from me? she wondered.  Asuka decided right there and then that she couldn't keep her distance from other people anymore.  She leaned over and rested her head on Shinji's shoulder.  At first, Shinji stiffened but relaxed after a moment, resting his head against hers.  Slowly, she twisted her hand so that her finger's intertwined with Shinji's._

            As the night wore on, Asuka's eyelids began to droop slightly.  As they closed, she heard Shinji's last words.  "Welcome home Asuka."  Then she knew no more.

***

            "It needed a little work, but it's perfect now," declared Ishiro proudly, looking around.  He had moved in his personal belongings and set them up according to his needs and wishes.  On one table he had laid out what looked like a set of tools for a miniature machine shop.  However, all the tools were on a very small scale.

            After arranging his belongings to his satisfaction, Ishiro got to work on his most pressing concern.  It was time for a little maintenance.  He seated himself in front of the table.  Laid out on the table were various implements for a variety of jobs.

            Slowly, he peeled back the artificial skin of his right hand, revealing the mass of metal and circuitry underneath.  Slowly, Ishiro reached for some oil.

***

            Asuka awoke on the couch.  Someone had given her a blanket.  As her eyes opened, the smells of breakfast reached her nose.  Looking into the kitchen, she saw Shinji cooking.  Whatever it was he was fixing it already smelled very good.  Asuka slipped into her room to grab her clothes, then into the bathroom to take a shower.  When she emerged, clean and dressed for school, Asuka was certain that she couldn't have felt better.

            "Good morning Shinji," she said cheerfully, taking her seat at the table.

            "Good morning," replied Shinji, not looking away from his cooking.  Only his tone told her that he was happy to have her up and about.

            "Good morning," said Misato, coming into the room.  She looked at Asuka.  "Are you ready to go back to school?"

            "Of course," answered Asuka.

***

            In the darkness of the sea, something moved.  The thing was enormous.  Despite its size, it moved through the water with sinuous ease.  Its tail lazily lashed back and forth, propelling it slowly forward.  As it moved forward, its mouth opened, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth.  As it continued on its way, it was clear that the thing had a specific destination in mind.  It was returning to a place it knew very well.

            Ishiro awoke to the buzzing of the alarm on his clock.  He turned off the alarm and sat up.  There was no grogginess in his eyes, no sign that he had ever been asleep at all.  There was only terrified awareness.  "Mother," he said to the air around him, "Does this mean He is still alive?"

***

            Shinji watched Asuka as she chatted away with Hikari.  He couldn't help but feel a little concerned.  She had regained her health so quickly.  It seemed miraculous, too miraculous.

            The damage from the battle the previous night had turned out to be surprisingly small.  Further more, there had been no injuries among the civilian populace at all.  Therefore, school resumed without pause.  Turning his head, Shinji saw Rei Ayanami in her usual seat by the window.  His mind flashed back to previous events.  The destruction of Unit 00, finding out about Rei, about the dummy plug system.  Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Shinji looked away from her.

            Ishiro entered through the door.  Immediately, all conversation halted and all eyes turned on the newcomer as he took his seat.  Something about Ishiro made Shinji feel slightly uncomfortable.  He seemed to know more than he should about things.  Shinji was grateful to him for his help the previous evening however.

            "Hey Shinji!" yelled a boy with glasses as he entered the room.  The boy was Kensuke, one of Shinji's closest friends.  Kensuke was a military aficionado, a lover of all things to do with combat.  One of the boy's deepest desires was to pilot the Evangelion.  The boy who accompanied Kensuke said nothing as he entered.  Touji had been chosen as the designated pilot of Unit 03.  However, when his Eva had been taken over by the 13th Angel, Unit 01 had been forced to stop it.  When Commander Ikari had engaged the Dummy Plug system, Unit 01 had literally ripped its opponent apart.  In the process, Touji had lost an arm and a leg.  They had been replaced by prosthetics, though Touji still felt the occasional twitch of a limb that was no longer there.

            Kensuke almost instantly noticed Ishiro.  He nudged Shinji's shoulder.  "Who's the new kid?" he asked in a whisper.

            "That's Ishiro," said Shinji.

            "You know him?  Is he an Eva pilot?"

            "Yes," replied Shinji.

            "He's the one who fought in the last battle isn't he?" inquired Touji.  Shinji nodded.

            Ishiro was idly tapping away at his laptop.  He had inserted a disk not too long ago and was looking through some data on the screen.  There was an intrigued look on his face, as if he had found something that had caught his interest.  After the class began, Ishiro's eyes remained glued to the information he was reading throughout the lesson.

***

            "We've almost arrived," stated announced the navigator.  "We should be at the site in approximately thirty minutes."

            "Good," said the captain, "Keep us posted."

            The submarine slid silently through the depths of the ocean.  It was attempting to find the remains of the wrecked _Tsunami_, in particular the N mines it was supposed to be carrying.  It had been two days since the ship had vanished without a trace.  The submarine was carefully tracing the ships course from its last known location.

            For obvious reasons (namely the possibility that an Angel was responsible) Commander Ikari had ordered that the Submarine remain in contact with NERV at all times.  The possibility of an Angel was making the crew very nervous.  The submarine was not equipped to deal with Angels and would most likely not survive an encounter with one.

            After half an hour, "We've arrived at the _Tsunami_'s last recorded location," announced the navigator.  Mere minutes before it had gone under, GPS and surveillance satellites had recorded the ship's last position.

            "Descend to our maximum depth," ordered the captain.  The ocean floor was many miles below them at this point and it would be impossible for the submarine to reach it and the remains of the battleship.  However, the submarine was not unequipped for such actions.  It carried with it a small submersible that was capable of reaching the bottoms of the deepest ocean trenches.  Reaching the sea floor here would present no challenge to sturdy little craft.  However, to save time and air, the submarine would launch the submersible from its maximum depth.

            "The submersible is manned and ready for departure," announced a crew member.

            "Launch," ordered the captain.

            The submersible was away and descending towards the bottom.  During this time, the men of the sub kept a nervous watch on the radar and sonar, watching for any sign of movement except for that of the tiny submersible.  As it got closer to the bottom, it turned on its lights to penetrate the deepening gloom.

            Finally, "I have a visual on the _Tsunami_," reported the operator of the submersible.  His voice was tinged with relief.  The massive shape of the battleship loomed ahead of the submersible.  It was nestled next to a huge rock up thrust in ocean floor.  The massive shape was curved, but it was topped by a ridge of irregular projections that almost looked like the spines of some prehistoric monster.

            "Checking for N2 mines."  The submarine engaged a number of instruments.  N2 mines were tactical thermonuclear explosives.  As such, the relied on a fusion reaction for the majority of the power behind their blast.  However, to generate the immense heat needed to trigger the fusion reaction, they needed a smaller fission explosion.  This was provided by the plutonium stored in the warhead.  Simple radiation detection instruments could find such warheads.  The submersible also employed a signal receiver designed to lock onto the transponder signal sent by the N2 mines.

            "I'm picking up a signal," announced the operator.  He guided the submersible around until he had a view of a massive hole in the ship's hull.  "My God," he whispered.  Already he could tell that no weapon made by man had made that hole.  Carefully, he steered the craft into the hole, its lights roaming around, looking for the mines.

            The lights slowly came to rest on the five N2 mines.  "The mines are inert," reported the operator, "No signs of radioactivity."

            "So they're useless," remarked the captain, "Very well, return to the ship.  Let's get out of here."

            "Yes sir," replied the operator.  The submersible slowly backed out of the hole in the ship's hull and ascended to the submarine far above.  The crew's tension had gradually bled away during the time the submersible was out.  Now they were fairly sure that they would get back to Tokyo 3 without much trouble.

            "The submersible has docked," reported a technician.

            "Take us out of here," ordered the captain, "Set a course for Tokyo 3."

            "What the!?" yelled the technician looking at the radar, "There's something on our tail.  It's enormous!"

            "It's the Angel!" yelled a crew member, panicking entirely.

            "Arm the rear torpedo tubes!" barked the captain.

            "The tubes are armed," announced the weapons officer.

            "Fire!"  The torpedo's sped away from the rear of the sub towards the incoming object.

            "We will have impact in five…four…three…two…one…Impact!"  The radar screen went blank with static for a moment as the shockwave disrupted all the readings.  The sonar did the same.

            Gradually the screens cleared.  "It's still coming!" shouted the technician.

            "Fire again!" yelled the captain.  To the helmsman he shouted, "Full speed ahead!  Take us out of here!"

            "We're already at full throttle sir!" the helmsman shouted back, "I can't get her to go any faster!"

            "Fire!" shouted the captain as the weapons officer announced that the torpedo tubes were ready.  Again, they impacted and again the screens were blanked out by the shockwave.  When they cleared again, the object was still coming.

            "Send out an SOS!" the captain shouted to the communications officer.

            "Already done," replied the officer.

            There was nothing more to be done.  The submarine fired several more times, however, each shot proved to be futile.  The gigantic object came on, unfazed by torpedoes and quickly gaining on the sub.  The chase went on for twenty-eight minutes as the pursuer refused to give up.  It was almost on top of the submarine.  Finally, it caught up to its quarry.  The submarine soon joined the _Tsunami at the bottom of the sea._

***

            Ishiro sat quietly in the test plug as the synchronization test commenced.  The test plugs were different from the actual Evangelion entry plugs.  Ishiro was certain that this was the cause of the results of his current tests.

            "I don't understand!" exclaimed Maya, "His synchronization ratio is 10.03%."

            "That is strange," agreed Ritsuko, looking over her protégé's shoulder, "How could he get over a hundred his first time in the Eva and then not even be able to activate it the next day?"  She sighed.  "Well, let's call it a day.  Pilot Saegusa, you may get out now."

            "Thank you," said Ishiro quietly.  He had had a lot on his mind recently.  The dreams had come with increasing intensity.  He was beginning to see that vast shape moving through the shadows every time he closed his eyes.  _How did mother ever get any sleep when these things happened? he wondered._

            "All command staff and Eva pilots please report to the briefing room immediately," boomed the speakers.

            "What timing," grumbled Ishiro as he made his way to the briefing room.

***

            Commander Ikari stood in front of an enormous screen.  In front of him were seated the various members of the NERV command staff.  Ishiro, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei were all seated in the front row.  Rei was the only pilot not currently in a plug suit (Unit 00 was still undergoing reconstruction).  Ishiro was still wet with residue LCL.

            "At approximately 13:23 hours," began Ikari, "One of our submarines was investigating the sinking of a ship belonging to the Pacific Fleet.  The said ship was carrying five N2 mines to Tokyo 3.  However, it disappeared before it could arrive.  When our submarine went to investigate the sinking, they found what was left of the ship.  However, as the submarine was returning to Tokyo 3, it was pursued by an object of unknown origin and destroyed."

            "Are we under the presumption that this unknown object is an Angel?" inquired Ishiro.

            Commander Ikari held back the low growl that was rising in his throat.  The boy was proving to be extremely infuriating.  "That is correct Pilot Saegusa," he replied after a moment.

            Ishiro rested his chin on his hand and sank deep into thought.  Gendo continued.  "Our satellites are now tracking this object.  It is currently heading straight for Tokyo 3.  It will arrive in approximately three hours.  Eva Units 01, 02, and 14 will intercept the thing and destroy it."

            "If we can," muttered Ishiro.  He was becoming more than certain that this thing, whatever it was, was not an Angel.  _Maybe it's Him,_ he thought grimly, _If that's the case, then even the Evas will be no match for Him._

            "That is all," concluded Ikari.

***

            "Ishiro?" Shinji tapped his shoulder timidly, "Is something the matter?"  They had left the briefing room quite a while ago.  Ishiro had gone off on his own.  After searching around for a couple of hours, Shinji had finally found him sitting on a bench in a random hallway.

            "An excellent question," replied Ishiro softly as he turned around to face Shinji, "I am not certain, but something about this whole operation doesn't feel right."

            "What do you mean?" asked Shinji.

            "I mean that I don't think that this thing is actually an Angel," answered Ishiro.

            "What else could it be?" demanded Asuka tartly as she came up behind them.

            Ishiro turned to continue walking Asuka and Shinji fell in step next to him.  "There are many things you don't know about the creatures that live or lived on this world Soryu.  This 'thing' might very well be one of them."

            "What are you talking about?" asked Asuka, obviously confused.

            "Do you know what kaijuology is?" inquired Ishiro.

            Shinji shook his head, but Asuka replied, "Yeah, kaijuology is the study of  giant monsters.  It's a complete joke."

            Ishiro shook his head, smiling sadly.  "Don't be so sure of that Asuka.  My mother was a kaijuologist.  She was employed by the Japanese government to study the potential threat of kaiju to Japan."

            "What happened to her?" asked Shinji, eager to learn more about this new boy.

            "Second Impact happened, that's what.  After Second Impact, the overwhelming majority of scientific minds in the world believed that all the kaiju had been wiped out.  They were certain that the conditions immediately after Second Impact were far too hostile for anything as large as kaiju."  A tear rolled down Ishiro's cheek.  "My mother refused to believe that.  She was certain that at least some of them were alive.  Using what money was left available to her, she went out on several expeditions looking for them.  One time, she went out on one of these expeditions and never came back."

            "I'm sorry," was all that Shinji could say.

            "So there really were kaiju at one time," remarked Asuka.

            Ishiro seemed to cheer up slightly.  "Indeed there were.  In fact, the design for Tokyo 3, specifically the ability to lower important structures into the geofront, was originally designed for old Tokyo to protect key structures from kaiju attacks by lowering them into underground bunkers."  Ishiro looked down at the clock display on the wrist of his plug suit.  "We don't have much time left.  We'd better get to our Evas."

***

            The appointed time was swiftly approaching.  Units 01, 02, and 14 waited on the outskirts of Tokyo 3.  Shinji had armed his Eva with a spear weapon while Asuka had chosen a rifle.  Ishiro had not taken any weapons.  Misato was sure that this was because he intended to use his Eva's more unique abilities.

            "His sync ratio is back up," announced Ritsuko.

            "Maybe he can only maintain his synchronization ratio when he is in direct contact with his Eva," theorized Maya.

            "That shouldn't be an issue," muttered Ritsuko, "However; it appears to be the only answer."

            Misato was more concerned with the coming battle.  She had noticed a growing look of apprehension on Ishiro's face.  "Is something wrong Ishiro?" she asked.

            "I am almost absolutely certain that this thing is not an Angel," he replied.

            "Are you afraid of having no idea of what it might be?"  Misato was worried now.

            A humorless smile appeared on Ishiro's face.  "Quite the contrary Major; I'm afraid that that I might know exactly what this thing might be."

            The countdown had reached zero.  The enemy, whatever it might be had arrived.  Misato issued brisk orders.  "Alright, Ishiro and Shinji are going to take the lead.  Asuka, I know you're not going to like this, but you're backup."

            Asuka looked disappointed.  "Is it because of my sync ratio?" she asked.  Her sync ratio was at 52.7%.  While it wasn't terrible, it wasn't anywhere close to matching Shinji's much less Ishiro's.

            "There is more to it than that," observed Ishiro flatly, "both Units 01 and 14 are equipped with S2 engines while unit 02 must rely on an external power source.  Having you provide backup will allow you to perform to the best of your abilities without having to worry about protecting your umbilical cable."

            This explanation actually seemed to satisfy Asuka.  Ishiro turned his attention back to the hills separating the main portion of the city from the ocean.  Overhead, several military aircraft flew past, heading for the object which was undoubtedly surfacing.  Already, the sound of artillery fire could be heard in that direction from the tanks and weapons emplacements posted along the roads and among the hills.

            Suddenly, there was a chain of explosions and plumes of smoke rose over its hills.  "The tank battalions have been wiped out!" shouted Misato, "We didn't even get a chance to get a visual."

            Some of the VTOL aircraft flew straight up, giving the Evas a good view of them as they fired frantically at something below them.  Suddenly, a brilliant beam of blue-white energy shot up from below to strike one of the craft.  The aircraft disappeared in an explosion that sent pieces of shrapnel everywhere.

            "My God," gasped Ishiro, feeling sick to his stomach, "I was right."

            A second beam struck another of the aircraft.  This one did not explode but managed to retreat to a point over Tokyo 3 before its engines gave out, sending it spiraling to the unyielding ground below.

            "What do you mean you're right?" demanded Misato.  Asuka and Shinji gave him looks that told him that they would like to know the answer to that question as well.

            "That's no Angel," said Ishiro.  His announcement seemed to be confirmed by an eerily powerful roar that couldn't have belonged to an Angel and yet didn't seem to belong to any known creature on Earth.

            Ishiro turned to look at the images of Shinji and Asuka that floated on his right.  "Remember what I told you about my mother studying kaiju?"  They nodded.  "Well, I didn't tell the entire story.  My mother studied one kaiju in particular.  This creature was responsible on a number of occasions for nearly leveling Old Tokyo.  This kaiju was proving to be such a great problem that the Japanese government created a completely separate branch of the military solely for the purpose of countering the threat this creature posed.  My mother worked for that organization."

            He turned to look out the forward window again.  "This creature is far more dangerous than any Angel."  An enormous black shape crested the hills outside the city.  "Asuka…Shinji…This is Godzilla."

End disclaimer: Godzilla is the property of Toho

Author's note: I've gotten a couple of reviews, and I'm sorry if the last chapter (chapter 1 I mean) seemed pretty generic for an Eva fanfic.


	3. Battle of Titans: In Defense of Tokyo 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion or Godzilla.  I just thought that if this story was done right they might go well together.

Author's Note: This chapter is pretty standard for a Godzilla/Evangelion crossover.  However, the story will get to be a lot different later on.

**Chapter 3: **Battle of Titans/In Defense of Tokyo 3

Dedicated to Akira Ifkube whose music still stirs the souls of people around the world.

            Hikari sat up.  The blast had knocked her off her feet.  Silently, she cursed her terrible luck.  She had been caught in the bathroom when the alarm had sounded.  Of course she had to finish doing her business first, but when she had gotten out she had found that all of the shelters were already closed.   None of her pounding yielded an answer.

            She stood up to take stock of her surroundings.  A military aircraft had almost come down on top of her while she made her way through the streets looking for an open shelter.  The shockwaves had sent her tumbling.  Fortunately, she had avoided anything more severe than a few bruises.

            _What do I do now? she wondered, looking at the flaming wreck in front of her.  Behind her she heard a low pounding sound, like giant footsteps.  Turning around, Hikari saw the most terrifying sight in her life._

            She wasn't able to gape at it for long as the sound of crumbling masonry came from above her.  Looking up, Hikari screamed as part of the building she was standing by plunged towards her.

***

            "Godzilla," gasped Misato, "I don't believe it."

            "So, the leviathan has finally arisen," remarked Gendo quietly.

            The creature was immense, easily a hundred meters tall.  His skin was black in color.  Despite Godzilla's reptilian nature, he was not covered in scales.  Rather, he was covered with thick skin, rutted not totally unlike the bark of some ancient, giant tree.  On his back stood three rows of jagged spines.  His eyes were yellow in color, showing his animalistic nature yet also conveying a sense of unnerving intelligence.  As his mouth opened, he displayed a fearsome double row of uneven teeth.  Many of them were approximately two meters long.

            Godzilla's reaction upon seeing the three Evas, also a hundred meters tall, arrayed against him was one of curiosity.  The creature tilted its head back and forth, as if trying to make some sense of the strange objects that stood before it.  As it did this, it opened its mouth and cut loose with a low growl.  After a moment he just stared intently at the three Evas, seeming to wait for them to make the first move.  His tail beat the ground, smashing rock and raising a thick cloud of dust.

            "Evangelions, engage the enemy," ordered Misato.

            "Hold on a minute," protested Ishiro, "We are not anywhere near ready to fight Godzilla.  Do you have any idea of what he's capable of?"

            "It doesn't matter!" shouted Misato, "You have to fight him."

            Ishiro decided to ignore her.  "Shinji, Asuka, Misato's right on one account.  We can't let Godzilla penetrate any farther into the city.  Right now, our best bet is to drive him back into the sea.  From what my mother told me, if we can succeed at that, he'll wait for a while at least before trying to come ashore again.  Do you think you can manage that?"

            "Uh yeah," said Shinji uncertainly.

            "Bring him on," said Asuka eagerly.

            "Stick to the plan!" nearly screamed Misato.

            "Be careful," advised Ishiro, still ignoring Misato, "Godzilla's a lot faster than he looks.  And above all else, remember this.  When the spines on his back start to glow, it means he's about to fire that heat beam of his, so be ready to evade.  I have a feeling that our AT fields aren't up to that kind of strain."

            "What should we do sir?" asked Misato, "Should we try to stop them?"

            "It is obvious that Pilot Saegusa knows far more about this creature than we do.  We'll trust his judgment for now."  Ikari's pronouncement drew confused stares from his entire staff.

            Misato sighed.  "It's in your hands now Ishiro."

            "Was it ever not?" he retorted, drawing a growl from her.

            "Asuka, Shinji, switch weapons," instructed Ishiro.

            "I thought I was supposed to provide cover," said a confused Asuka.

            "I still want you to do that," replied Ishiro, "However, if you were to fire at Godzilla from your position, you would actually be drawing him towards you.  When fired upon, Godzilla tends to advance on source of the barrage.  We can use the rifle to draw him back to the ocean before we can force him in.  Unit 01 has superior mobility as it isn't dependant on an umbilical cable, which makes it better suited to the task."

            "I understand," said Asuka.

            "If you have to fight Godzilla it will be in close range combat.  You can't match him in the area of strength.  However, your Eva should have the advantage when it comes to agility.  Try to engage Godzilla using hit and run tactics."  Ishiro flinched as Godzilla let out an impatient roar.  "Alright, let's do this."

            Units 01 and 02 switched weapons.  Unit 14 charged straight towards the creature.  "Shinji, circle around and get behind him," ordered Ishiro.

            "On it," said Shinji.  His Eva began to circle around to Godzilla's right.

            Unit 14 continued its charge.  Even as it did this, its wrists discharged the cylinders for it's AT blades.  The shaped AT extended from the end of each cylinder.

            "Wow," gasped Asuka, amazed by the capabilities of this strange new Eva.

            Unit 14 ran straight for Godzilla, its swords held outstretched on either side.  Just as it was about to collide with Godzilla, it leapt straight up into the air.  Godzilla's claws swiped through the empty air where the Eva had been mere seconds ago.  "Now Shinji!" shouted Ishiro.

            Shinji didn't reply, he just squeezed the trigger.  The bullets impacted Godzilla, covering the monster with fiery explosions.  Enraged, the creature wheeled about to face the irritant.  As it did, Unit 14 dropped down, slashing downwards with one of its swords.  Blood flew everywhere as the sword cleaved through Godzilla's skin like a hot knife through butter.  However, when Unit 14 backed away to avoid any counterattack that there might have been, there was no sign that the swords had even touched Godzilla.

            Godzilla seemed to ignore Unit 14 for the time being.  Instead, blue flashes traveled up and down the spines on his back.  "Shinji look out!" shouted Ishiro.  Unit 01 remained where it was.  Shinji seemed to be unsure of where to go.  A jet of blue-white superheated plasma roared forth from Godzilla's mouth.  Shinji panicked and used the only defense he could think of.  The beam lanced out towards Unit 01 but was halted in mid air by Unit 01's AT field.

            "Get out of there Shinji!" shouted Ishiro, "Your AT field can't take that kind of strain."  Ishiro's words soon proved to be true as the energy beam began to break through the AT field.

            "It breaking through with sheer brute force," gasped Ritsuko in awe.

            Finally, the beam punched through Unit 01's AT field.  The Eva threw itself to one side.  However, the beam slammed into its left shoulder, completely destroying the shoulder brace and sending the Eva slamming into the ground.  Shinji's scream of pain echoed across the communications channel.

            Godzilla relentlessly advanced on Unit 01.  First, he raised his foot and slammed it down on the Eva's prone form several times with earthshaking force.  Shinji's screams were much more frantic now.  Finally, Godzilla reached down, lifting the Eva with both forepaws.  Godzilla's jaws opened, revealing the rows of razor sharp teeth.  Without hesitation, he bit down on the Eva's already wounded shoulder.  Shinji's screams faded and he lost consciousness as Godzilla's powerful neck and jaw muscles went to work and he began to twist.

***

            Strong hands grabbed Hikari's shoulders and pulled her out of the way before debris rained down on where she had been standing.  Whirling around, Hikari realized that her savior was none other than Touji.  Relieved beyond words, she threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder.

            Touji held her close, relieved that she was alright.  "Let's go," he said to her quietly and began to lead her down another street.  However, as they turned a corner, they came face to foot with Eva Unit 14.  In fact, the black Evangelion would have stepped on them had they come around the corner any earlier.

            To their surprise, the Eva's head turned down to regard them.  Without hesitation, the giant knelt down.  The plates on the back of its neck opened up and the entry plug extended out.  The hatch on the plug opened and Ishiro poked his head out.

            "What are you waiting for, an invitation?" he shouted down to them, "Get in!"

            Touji went first, helping Hikari to make the tedious climb up the Eva's arm to the entry plug.  He let Hikari get in first and then followed, plunging into the warm LCL.  Touji nearly gagged as the liquid filled his lungs.  Even as the hatch closed and the entry plug reinserted itself into Unit 14, a rush of unpleasant memories came to him: Unit 03, being taken over by the Angel, watching as Unit 01 tore his Eva apart, the pain as his entry plug was crushed.

            The plug was pitch black at first, but light soon seeped into the pod from the windows that gave the pilot and Eva's eye view of everything that was going on.  In front of Ishiro floated an image of Misato.

            "What are you doing?" she growled, "You weren't given permission to let civilians into the entry plug."

            "I'm confused," retorted Ishiro, "At what point did I ever ask for it?"

            "Why you arrogant little…!" Misato didn't get to finish her sentence as Ishiro shut the communication's channel off.

            "Okay," he told his passengers, "Let's go over a few basic rules.  Keep your hands and arms inside the Eva at all times and above all else, no backseat driving."

            His humor disappeared as Asuka's scream came over the comm.  "GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

***

            "GET AWAY FROM HIM!"  Asuka's Eva charged for Godzilla's unprotected back.  She plunged her spear in below the shoulder right next to the first row of spines that rose from Godzilla's back.  A high screech of pain emerged from the beast's mouth.  Godzilla's tail snapped like a whip, slamming into Unit 02's side.  The Eva was knocked flying, plowing into the outskirts of the city and leveling a couple buildings.

            Godzilla released Unit 01 and turned towards Unit 02.  Deliberately he advanced on Asuka's downed Eva.  Unit 14 entered the fray again.  Circling around, the black Eva jumped, performing a forward flip in mid-air and slamming both feet into Godzilla's backside, planting its feet on either side of the triple row of spines.  In one smooth motion, the swords swung forward and scored Godzilla's flanks as the Eva pushed off, performing a back flip to carry it out of the range of Godzilla's deadly tail.

***

            "I don't believe it," gasped Ritsuko, looking over Maya's shoulder, "Two foreign bodies in the matrix and his synchronization ratio hasn't slipped a tenth of a percent."

            "Still, we can't just be letting random civilians into a classified area like that," said Gendo.

            "One of them is the 4th Child," Misato pointed out, having decided that Ishiro was in the right.

            "That does not excuse his actions," replied Commander Ikari, "We will discuss this after this mission is completed."

            "Are you sure of this Ikari?" asked Fuyutsuki.

            "Pilot Saegusa has overstepped his bounds one too many times," answered Gendo, "We will have to remind him who is in command here."

            "Unit 01 has gone silent," announced Maya.

            "I'm getting no signs from the pilot, the circuits have been disconnected," reported Makoto.

            "Oh no," gasped Misato, "Shinji!"

***

            Godzilla turned his neck and bit down on the shaft of the spear.  Without hesitation, the creature pulled the spear from its back.  Turning around to face Unit 14, Godzilla closed his jaws tighter, biting the spear in half.  Unit 14 merely waited sword tips down, for Godzilla to make the first move.

            Godzilla surged forward, his speed very surprising for something so large and bulky.  He swung his right hand around, trying to slash the Eva with his claws.  The Eva seemed to simply lean to the side and dodge around the attack.  As it did so, its left sword came up and delivered a backhanded slash to Godzilla's flank.  Unit 14 pushed away from the ground and into the air, landing a short distance away.

            The monster wheeled around to face the Eva.  His spines flared and a heat beam shot out of his mouth.  However, Ishiro seemed to anticipate this and his Eva dove to one side.  The beam blasted a trench in the ground, setting fire to the forest around it.  Godzilla roared his frustration.  Unit 14's mouth opened and the Evangelion voiced a gurgling bellow in return.

***

            "Amazing," marveled Misato, forgetting Shinji for a moment.

            "He has perfect control over his Eva," said Ritsuko.

            "Unit 01 has just reactivated itself," announced Maya.

            "What?" exclaimed Misato, whirling to look over the lieutenant's shoulder.

            "Berserker," said Ritsuko, as if that explained everything.

***

            "Damn!" exclaimed Ishiro as he noticed Unit 01 rising to its feet, "If there's one thing we really don't need now it's the berserker."

            "Berserker?" inquired Hikari from the cockpit.

            "You haven't heard of it?" said Ishiro, "Shinji didn't tell you?"

            "I don't think he was allowed to," remarked Touji.

            "Well," began Ishiro, even as he directed the Eva to dodge as Godzilla spun around, bring his tail around in an attempt to sweep Unit 14's feet out from under it, "Only Shinji's Eva seems capable of it.  Under extreme circumstances, a consciousness from within Unit 01 itself seizes control of the Eva.  This seems to give Unit 01 increased power and back when it used to still run on power from an umbilical cable, allowed it to function past the normal limits of its battery power.  Shinji is not in control when the Eva goes berserk and oftentimes it happens after he has lost consciousness in the cockpit."

            "And why is that a bad thing?" asked Hikari.

            "The berserker doesn't know the meaning of strategy.  It can no more follow a plan than it can stop itself from ripping an enemy apart," Ishiro grimaced as he looked at the now standing Unit 01, "Even the berserker Eva is no match for Godzilla."

            Even as he said this, Unit 01's jaws opened and a howl emerged from the Eva's throat.  Godzilla wheeled about to face the new threat.  He turned around just in time to take the full force of the Eva's slam.  Godzilla was knocked back on his heels.  However, he quickly recovered and shifted his weight back towards Unit 01.

            For a few seconds, the two titans grappled like giant sumo wrestlers.  But to the horror of all those watching, Unit 01 began to fall back, unable to resist the overpowering strength of Godzilla.  However, the Eva wasn't finished yet.  Its hands reached up and wrapped around the monster's neck.  Godzilla's slammed his claws against the arms of the Eva.  A wet snap echoed in the afternoon air, however, the Eva's grip did not lessen and gradually, Godzilla's struggles began to weaken.

            "We're winning!" shouted Asuka, who had managed to get her Eva to its feet.

            "Not yet," declared Ishiro.  He watched the battle with grim certainty, knowing that Godzilla was a far cry from dead.

            Godzilla's dorsal spines began to flash; blue-white lightning running up and down their lengths.  The monster's mouth opened as he prepared to unleash the full force of his radioactive heat beam on Unit 01's head at point blank range.  However, as his maw opened, the tiny plumes of energy sputtered and died before they got anywhere close to the Eva's face.

            "He can't even fire his heat ray!" yelled Asuka in elation.

            "Shit," was all that Ishiro could say as he watched the exchange.  Behind him, Hikari and Touji exchanged confused glances.

            "Get back!" shouted Ishiro a second later.  Unit 14 leapt back away from Unit 01, which maintained its deadly hold on Godzilla's throat.

            "What are you talking about?" demanded Asuka, "We're…"  She never got to finish her sentence.  Suddenly, Godzilla's entire body seemed to flare with blue-white light.  A powerful blast radiated outwards, Unit 01 lost its grip on the monster, and was sent flying by the force of the explosion.  Unit 02 was similarly toppled by the discharge.  Only Unit 14, which had increased the distance between Godzilla and itself in addition to bracing itself, remained standing.

            "Are you two okay?" asked Ishiro, turning around to look at Touji and Hikari.  Hikari was clinging to Touji with all her might.  As they had not been restrained by any kind of safety harness, they had been jolted around a little more than Ishiro had.  Touji returned Ishiro's glance and flashed him a shaky thumbs up.

            "What was that?" groaned Asuka, massaging her head, feeling both Unit 02's pain from the blast and her own from the jolting of the cockpit.

            "A nuclear pulse," replied Ishiro, "It's Godzilla's last resort weapon.  When Godzilla fires his radioactive heat beam, what he is channeling is a controlled nuclear explosion on a very small scale.  He channels this energy out of his mouth as you can plainly see.  However, when the passage from wherever it is that the energy from the beam is generated is blocked, the energy builds up inside of Godzilla and eventually he flushes it out through the pores of his skin in the form of a powerful blast of energy.  It's devastating in close quarters."

            Unit 01 was in a sorry state.  It was slowly forcing itself back onto its feet.  The armor over the front of its body had all but melted away, yielding a fine view of the scorched flesh beneath.

            Godzilla's dorsal spines flared once more.  This time, the heat beam emerged from his mouth in full force, stabbing towards the fallen Unit 01, which had just managed to reach a sitting position.  The beam punched straight through the Eva's stomach, hitting the ground behind it.  The explosion threw the Eva forward onto its face.  Godzilla turned around.  His tail rose and fell, hammering the fallen Eva mercilessly.

            "Asuka!" shouted Ishiro, "I need your help.  We need to tackle Godzilla as a team."

            "I can take him down on my own," boasted Asuka.

            "This is not the time to argue for bragging rights!" roared Ishiro, "Shinji's life is at stake here.  Just one of us alone won't be enough to budge Godzilla."

            "What should we do then?" asked Asuka, "Attack him at the same time?"

            "Not exactly, we need to stagger our attacks.  One of us will have to tackle him first.  This should disrupt Godzilla's balance long enough for the second one to finish the job of knocking him over."

            "Okay," agreed Asuka, "I go first."  Without waiting to listen to anything further from Ishiro, she sent her Eva into a charge.

            Unit 02 slammed into Godzilla's flank with all the force it could muster.  Godzilla let out a roar as he shifted his weight onto his other foot.  It was then that Unit 14, following on the heels of Unit 02's attack slammed into the back of Unit 02.  The force of the impact was enough to send Godzilla toppling to the ground.  Both of the attacking Eva's rolled clear.

            "Good work," said Ishiro, "Now, get Shinji out of here."

            "Okay."  For once, Asuka didn't argue.

            Unit 02 grabbed Unit 01under the shoulders and proceeded to drag the damaged Eva away.  Unit 14 stood, waiting for Godzilla to regain his footing.  The monster roared in rage as he stood once again.  Seeing only the black Eva standing to challenge it, Godzilla surged forward, a black tidal wave of unstoppable destruction.  Unit 14 braced itself as if to meet the challenge head on.  However, as Godzilla closed with it, the Eva dropped one sword as it lifted the other to point at Godzilla.  It then braced its remaining sword with both hands.  Mirroring the pilot's determination, the Eva released another gurgling bellow.

            Godzilla was to close to stop his momentum.  He impaled himself on the AT blade.  The tip of the blade emerged from Godzilla's back, sending blood and flesh spraying in the air.  The monster's mouth opened and a shrill shriek of pain escaped.  Blood rising in the monster's throat exited the mouth and spattered over the head of Unit 14.

            Not faltering, Unit 14 pulled down and to the side, bringing the blade tearing down and out of Godzilla's flank.  In one smooth motion, Unit 14 stooped to retrieve its other blade and rolled away from Godzilla's massive falling form.  The ground shook as the monster impacted.  Godzilla wasn't down for long though.  With a low growl, the monster forced himself up on his hands and then got back onto his feet.

            "No way!" gasped Ishiro.  There was no trace of the wound his sword had made, no hint that it had even been created.

            "That's impossible," gasped Misato over the comm.

            _Just great, Ishiro thought, __Mother wasn't exaggerating about him.  There's no way I can kill him, not here, not now.  I have to get him into the ocean.  If I can force him into the sea he should leave us be for a short time at least._

            Then, Ishiro got an idea.  Looking around frantically, his eyes found what they sought…the rifle dropped by Unit 01.  _Perfect_.  The AT blades disappeared and their hilts folded back into Unit 14's arms.

            Godzilla roared with unmatched fury.  His spines were glowing again.  The heat beam erupted from his mouth.  Unit 14 was already moving however.  The Eva managed to dive and escape the attack.  Its dive also carried it within reach of the rifle.  Not pausing, the Eva rolled to its feet and fired on Godzilla.  Godzilla did not answer with his heat beam but rather charged.  Unit 14 dodged back away from Godzilla.  It fired a second barrage at the beast.

            The attack seemed only to magnify the monster's wrath.  Godzilla surged forward again.  Again Unit 14 retreated.  However, Godzilla did not stop his pursuit, chasing after the elusive Eva with every fiber of his being.  Unit 14 continued to retreat from Godzilla at a pace that kept a fair distance between them.

            Godzilla halted.  He fired his heat beam at Unit 14.  The Eva back flipped away from the attack which blasted away the ground where it had been standing.  It fired another barrage through the still dissipating smoke, fanning the flames of Godzilla's rage.  The creature rushed forward yet again, with the Eva retreating at a perfect pace.

            This continued for sometime; Godzilla pursuing Unit 14 and stopping occasionally.  On these occasions, Unit 14 used a simple barrage from its rifle to goad Godzilla into another charge.  Godzilla then charged again.  After going through this process several times, Unit 14 halted, its heels resting on the very edge of the cliff overlooking the sea.  Godzilla had come to a halt not far away.

            Ishiro could tell that Godzilla was preparing himself for another charge.  He wouldn't need the rifle to goad the beast this time.  He smiled to himself.  He knew exactly what it was that he needed to do.

            Godzilla surged forward.  Unit 14 didn't move.  It waited while Godzilla rapidly drew closer.  Godzilla's jaws opened, letting out a roar of victory as it closed with its hated foe.  In the cockpit, Hikari screamed and clung to Touji.  Both of them watched with apprehension as the monster drew nearer.

            At the last second, Ishiro fired the rifle, not at Godzilla, but at the ground between them.  The bullets exploded, unleashing a thick cloud of smoke that obscured the entire area.  The smoke engulfed both Eva and monster, blocking them from the view of NERV's cameras.

            "What's going on?" demanded Misato.

            Nothing happened for a moment, then Godzilla came bulling out of the smoke…out of the smoke and over the cliff.  With a shriek of rage, the monster plunged over the side and into the sea below.  The smoke cleared, revealing the Eva, untouched, standing on the edge of the cliff, looking down at Godzilla.  It held the rifle at its side, showing that Ishiro had not intention of firing the weapon again.

            The waters below parted and Godzilla rose above the surface, standing in water that came up to the height of his waist.  The monster tilted his head upwards to regard the Eva.  Ishiro met the creature's gaze squarely, not feeling any fear at all.  Looking in the monster's eyes, Ishiro thought he saw a flash of something, respect.

            "Keep firing," ordered Misato.

            "That would be ill-advised," replied Ishiro, "Firing Godzilla now would only draw him back up onto land."  He looked away from the image of Misato and down on Godzilla again.  "It won't be necessary."

            As if to confirm his statement, Godzilla let out one final roar before turning and wading out towards the open ocean.  Unit 14 stood on the edge of the cliff, silently watching the monster's departure.  Godzilla waded out until the water was deep enough, then dived under the waves and swam out into the ocean.

            "Let's go home," said Ishiro wearily after the behemoth had disappeared beneath the waves.  Behind him, Touji and Hikari nodded in agreement.

***

            "Are you okay Shinji?" asked Misato, examining the third child.  Shinji groaned.  He felt like crap.  He wondered if there was a part of his body that wasn't hurting.  Shinji lay in a hospital bed.  His left arm was in a cast and in traction.  There were bandages across almost every part of his body.  His neck was in a brace.  His legs appeared to be the only parts of his body not tightly wrapped in bandages.  Every injury the Eva had sustained in battle had been inflicted to a lesser extent on its pilot.

            "I feel awful," he said, "But I think I'll live."

            "I'm glad," said Misato, "I've got to go now and debrief the others."

            She left.  Shinji sighed and tried to ignore the pain now that there was nothing to take his mind off it.

***

            The others sat in the debriefing room.  Once again, Ishiro and Asuka sat in the front row in their civilian clothes, having washed and rested a little since the battle.  Hikari and Touji sat next to the two pilots.  They had been allowed to shower off and uniforms were given to them to wear until their clothes had been cleaned out and dried.   However, since there were no NERV uniforms in their size, the clothes looked rather baggy on the two of them.  Hikari rested her head on Asuka shoulder, almost drifting into sleep.  Rei sat off to one side, watching quietly.  Behind them sat various staff members with Gendo sitting in the very back and Fuyutsuki standing by his side.  In front of them stood Misato.

            "The damage sustained by Unit 01 was substantial," she was saying, "The shoulder has been broken.  All the armor on the front of the Eva has been burned away, doing severe damage to the tissue underneath.  There is also a severe hole in the Unit's abdomen.  The back of the Eva was badly battered in the fight and the head section sustained damage as well.

            "The injuries to the pilot were severe but survivable.  He should be out of the hospital in about a month's time.

            "Unit 02 has some dented armor and a few minor burns but is otherwise fine.  Unit 14 sustained no damage whatsoever."  Misato looked up from her report and smiled on the two pilots.  "The city was virtually undamaged during the fight.  A few windows were broken by the shockwaves from the explosion and two buildings were leveled by Unit 02, but the damage is nonexistent otherwise.  All three pilots did exceptionally well."

            "However," remarked Commander Ikari from the back, "Pilot Saegusa needs to work on setting his priorities straight."

            "What do you mean commander?" inquired Ishiro innocently, not even bothering to look back at Gendo.

            "What is your mission?" asked Gendo.

            "To protect the city of Tokyo 3 and its inhabitants," replied Ishiro.

            "Incorrect," stated Gendo, "You're mission is to fight and destroy the enemy."

            "That may be your mission Commander; however, mine was and remains the protection of the city and people of Tokyo 3."

            "That does not justify letting to unauthorized civilians into the cockpit," declared Gendo.  Hikari and Touji flinched reflexively, sensing the hidden reprimand in Gendo's statement.  They had explained their situation to Misato earlier and Misato had agreed that Ishiro had done the right thing in letting them in.  However, she couldn't justify it to the commander.

            "It's too bad that you have a problem with my methods," retorted Ishiro, "However, you are not the one piloting the Eva.  The decision whether or not to let them into the cockpit was mine to make."

            Gendo's face nearly betrayed his rage.  Beside him Fuyutsuki appeared neutral, though in truth, he was fairly impressed with the young pilot's backbone.  He had never seen anyone stand up to Gendo Ikari like that.

            "You would do well to follow orders if you want to remain a member of this organization," growled Gendo.

            "Very well," replied Ishiro, "Throw me out.  It doesn't really matter to me.  However, what will you do when Godzilla returns?  And believe me, he will return.  You have no idea what motivates Godzilla, how he functions.  You have no knowledge of how to fight Godzilla when he comes again.  And what if other kaiju appear?  It is obvious that I am the only person in the organization who has any idea what we're up against.  Godzilla may be no Angel, but he can be a hundred times more dangerous."

            "Give me some examples of how you can be useful in this fashion," said Gendo, his interest raised.

            "For example, did you know that right now, you should have people combing the entire area of the battle, collecting all the samples of tissue they can find, treating the area for radioactivity, keeping citizens away?  Godzilla's flesh and blood is infused with radiation.  Too much exposure can be lethal."  Ishiro raised an eyebrow, "Also, any samples may have the key to defeating Godzilla."

            "Our scientists are busy working on the Evas currently," stated Fuyutsuki.

            "I had no intention of allowing you to delegate this task to _your scientists," replied Ishiro nonchalantly, "I intend to conduct this research myself."_

            "With what experience and what equipment?" asked Ikari skeptically, "Do you mean to say that you are a scientist?"

            "Pilot Soryu is not the only person who has had the experience of going through a university.  My major was biology, but I also have a de facto degree in kaijuology.  I am the closest thing you have to an expert in this particular field," he smirked superiorly, "As for equipment, I will use the lab you are about to provide me."

            "Hold on here," snapped Fuyutsuki, "You expect us to allocate valuable space and resources at your whim?"

            "Research and study are the only ways in which we will be able to learn anything useful regarding Godzilla," replied Ishiro, "And it appears that I am the only one qualified to do it.  I can assure you that there will be other applications from the study of Godzilla's physiology, some of them could have an immense impact on the world at large," Ishiro glanced at Commander Ikari, "Wouldn't you like to be the one who would control these applications sir?  If we don't do this now, someone else will."

            "Very well," said Gendo after a moment's consideration, "You will be granted lab space and resources at your discretion.  However, you must not squander your newfound privileges."

            "I understand Commander," replied Ishiro smoothly.

            "Very well, then you are dismissed," Gendo cast a glance about the room, "All of you."

            Everyone filed out.  Ishiro was the last person at the door.  Before he left, Fuyutsuki spoke out.  "A question Pilot Saegusa," he said gently, "I am curious about your eyes."

            "You wonder how sometimes they are brown and other times they are red," stated Ishiro.  Fuyutsuki nodded.  Ishiro looked away, a faraway look coming into his, brown, eyes.  "When I was about ten I was the subject of a human enhancement experiment.  Through surgery I was granted the ability to switch from the visible light spectrum to the infrared spectrum at will.  When my eyes turn red, I am viewing things through the infrared spectrum."  He left.

            Gendo was left alone with Fuyutsuki.  "So much for your reprimand Ikari," he said after a moment.

            "Indeed," agreed Gendo, "This boy is proving to be surprisingly slippery.   He is full of surprises.  Before I even knew it, he had completely reversed our positions.  This one is no stranger to the game of manipulation."

            _And you are reminded that you are not the sole master of this game, thought Fuyutsuki, merely nodding at Gendo's statement._

***

            The door to Shinji's hospital room opened slowly.  Shinji tried to turn his head to look at the door and see who was entering.  However, the brace around his neck prevented him from doing so.  He was forced to try and watch through peripheral vision and see who as coming.

            Asuka came into his field of view.  She sat in a chair that was placed at the side of the bed, close enough that Shinji didn't have to strain his eyes to look at her.

            "How do you feel?" asked Asuka after a moment.

            "Like shit," replied Shinji hoarsely.

            Asuka couldn't say anything else.  Instead she reached over and gently brushed her fingers against Shinji's cheek.  Her touch was feather-light and surprised the boy with its gentleness.  "Please get well soon," she said softly, "I'd miss you too much."

            "I'll be fine," he said, reaching up with his undamaged arm and taking her hand in his.

            Asuka nodded and gave him a small smile.  "Ishiro told me how you had stayed by me the whole time when I was out; even when the Angel attacked you didn't leave me."

            Shinji blushed with shame.  "There's something I need to tell you Asuka," he said, "I-I didn't stay with you the whole time.  At one point I had thought I couldn't take anymore.  I ran away."  He looked away from her as best he could.  Tears started to trickle down his cheeks.  "I ran away and hid like a frightened animal.  I don't know how long I was there, but I was there during the fight with the Angel.

            "Then Ishiro found me.  He just sat there next to me, not asking me any questions not demanding to know why I wasn't around to do my duty.  He just sat there and waited until I was ready.  Then he asked me why I was so sad and I told him everything.  I couldn't hold it in anymore, I had to let it all out.  He just sat there and listened to me, and then he brought me back to you."  His tears were flowing openly now.  "If he hadn't come along, I might have never been there when you woke up.  I was such a coward."

            "Shinji," said Asuka timidly.  However, Shinji had started to sob softly, showing that he wasn't listening.  Asuka paused, gathering her strength for what she needed to do.  "Shinji, listen to me," she said firmly, the iron in her voice commanding the boy's full attention.

            "Shinji, you are not a coward.  Think about it, you've piloted the Eva for longer than anyone else, even Rei.  Even though you hated piloting it more than you'd ever hated anything else in your life, you still did it.  You're also brave in other ways too.  Just now, when you told me what really happened while I was in a coma, you told me the whole story, you didn't hold back.  You didn't wait until I found out from Misato or from someone else what really happened.  That was courage Shinji.  You're braver than you think and don't you ever think otherwise."  She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

            The silence following Asuka's statement was a comfortable.  They simply sat, hand in hand.  Neither was waiting for the other to speak, neither needed the other to speak.  Finally, Shinji managed to whisper, "Asuka, thank you."

            "You're welcome 3rd child," she said smiling again, "Just try not to stay in bed for too long.  Otherwise I might become better than you again."

            "Alright," agreed Shinji.  A yawn suddenly escaped from his lips, the exhaustion of the day's events catching up with him.  Asuka caught on to this and stood up.  As she left the room, she turned the lights out.  Shinji floated off into a blissfully dreamless sleep.

***

            Ishiro strode down one of the complex's many hallways.  He found the transit lines to be very boring and preferred to get about under his own power.  There were no lights on in this particular corridor, which was to Ishiro's liking.  His eyes glowed red in the darkness.

            The boy came to a halt.  An amused smile played across his face.  He turned around to look at the corner he had just turned.  "There is no need to hide; I can see the heat of your body like a lantern."

            Silently, Rei Ayanami stepped around the corner.  Her face was neutral, but Ishiro new that she had been surprised by the fact he had noticed her.

            "What prompts you to follow me 1st child?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.

            Rei's expression did not change.  "You are more than you seem Pilot Saegusa," she said softly.

            "You are not the first to notice that," replied Ishiro smugly, "Nor will you be the last."  He smiled knowingly.  "You are more than you seem as well Rei.  Perhaps you would like to tell me what it is like to be a doll, a tool for a man's selfish ambitions."

            A grimace crossed Rei's face.  "I am not a doll."

            "So you say," retorted Ishiro, "And yet you would do anything he ordered you too.  Explain how this does not make you a doll."

            "I do not have to obey orders," replied Rei, "But if I don't follow them, what other purpose is there for me?"

            "I cannot tell you that.  Neither can Ikari.  Only you can decide your fate Rei Ayanami, whether you decide to fulfill the purpose Ikari has set out for you, or to break free of his hold, the decision lies in your hands.  If you decide to fulfill your own purpose, then it is up to you to decide what that will be."

            "How do I decide my purpose?" wondered Rei.

            "Open your mind," replied Ishiro, "Shed the barriers that your emotional conditioning have placed around your soul.  Learn what it is like to live life as a human, to feel joy, pain, anger, sadness, and love.  See for yourself what the world has to offer, and then use that to make your decision.  And above all else, make your life your own.  Treat life as an experiment."

            "I will consider your words…" said Rei, hesitating for a moment, "Ishiro."  She turned and left as quickly as she could.

            Ishiro grinned.  "That Rei is the first step," he said into the darkness.


	4. The Gathering Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion or Godzilla (but hey, a guy can dream can't he?).

Author's note: I guess now would be a good time to explain how everything is going to work out in this story.  First, I'm primarily drawing from the storyline from the Heisei series of Godzilla.  Most of the monsters from both the Showa and Heisei storylines should make an appearance in this story.  Everything is the same except for a few minor changes.  Those of you reading this that are actually Godzilla fans will understand what those changes are when you read this and later chapters.  As for the rest of you, just sit back and enjoy.

Also, the main part of this chapter is to bring people who don't know all that much about Godzilla up to speed.  G-fans can probably skip over the main section of this chapter.

**Chapter 4:** The Gathering Storm

            It floated through the darkness of space, or seemed to float.  The giant, dark mass drifted in the vast stretches of emptiness between the stars.  It had been adrift in the infinite depths of space for only a short time by its reckoning.  Indeed, barely two decades had passed since it had left its last prey, driven away by a force beyond its reckoning.  Injured beyond measure and driven mad with pain, it had sough refuge in the soothing cold of vacuum.  The battle had severely weakened it.

            However, adversity builds strength, and this thing was not an exception.  While it licked its wounds its strength slowly built.  It gathered its strength for the day when it would finally return to finish the task allotted to it at the moment of its unholy birth.  Out in the cold vastness, its course changed.

            It slowly came around, until it began to return the way it had come.  Slowly, but gathering speed with each passing second, it made its way back.  Back to the place from which it came, back to the tiny green and blue planet known only as Earth.

***

            "How is the cleanup going?" asked Ishiro, looking at the staff member who stood in front of his desk.  The look on the man's face clearly conveyed his discomfort with the situation.  Ishiro Saegusa could sympathize with him.  Had their positions been reversed, he would have found it odd to be answering to a fourteen year old boy as well.  In the time since that fateful debriefing, Ishiro had been granted his own personal lab and access to all the equipment he could ever want.  He had quickly immersed himself in study and spent quite a lot of time in his lab.

            "We're almost finished uh…sir," stammered the guard after a moment.

            "And where are the samples you've acquired now?" inquired Ishiro.

            "The samples we've recovered were put into cold storage with safeguards against radioactivity," replied the man, "Just as you instructed."

            "Good," said Ishiro, "And did you make sure that you completely cleaned out the forest area?"

            "With all due respect, why should that matter?" said the man.

            "The last thing we want are for G-cells to be introduced to the local fauna," answered Ishiro.

            "Why should we worry about saving the animals?" asked the man sarcastically.

            "I'm not worried about the animals; I'm worried about the people in the city," replied Ishiro.  He folded his hands and rested his chin on them, a gesture not all that different from something Commander Ikari would do.  "Do you know what a sea louse is?"

            "O-of course," stuttered the man, unable to figure out the connection, "It's a parasite."

            "Right," agreed Ishiro, "And they aren't very big are they?"  The man nodded.  "No, in fact they're absolutely tiny."  The man stood, not understanding this line of thought at all.  Ishiro met his gaze squarely, before explaining what he was talking about.  "When Godzilla appeared for the second time, his first victim was a small fishing boat.  The boat was left intact, but her crew was all dead.  They had not been killed by Godzilla himself.  They had been killed by a sea louse that had fed off of Godzilla's blood.  The blood caused a fantastic mutation in the sea louse causing it to grow to be five feet long."

            The man shivered visibly at the implications of Ishiro's statement.  "That's right," Ishiro went on, "Imagine what would happen if something larger than a parasite were to ingest G-cells.  What if that something were a more aggressive predator?"  The man was sweating now.  "Now you know better than to question my logic in this matter."

            Ishiro gathered up a few sheaths of paper on his desk and headed for the door.  "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a briefing to attend and you have a job to finish."  He left the flummoxed staff member alone with his thoughts.

***

            The briefing room was packed with more than the usual amount of staff.  A number of people were there, including Maya, Makoto and Shigeru.  Other staff members from the command center were there as well.  Even Ritsuko had been called away from her duties overseeing the Evas' repairs to attend.

            "We have quite a turnout," muttered Fuyutsuki to Gendo.  They sat in the back, observers as much as anyone else in the room.

            "We have a unique situation on our hands Kouzou," replied Gendo, not looking away.

            "This is unlikely to be the last one we have," remarked Fuyutsuki.

            "Indeed," agreed Gendo.

            Asuka and Rei sat up at the front of the room.  Misato had seated herself next to Asuka.  Much to everyone's surprise (except for Gendo's of course), Shinji was also at the meeting.  It had been a few weeks since the battle with the beast known as Godzilla.  The doctor had given Shinji leave to move about in a wheelchair.

            The door hissed open and Ishiro entered.  All eyes went to the boy as he made his way to the platform at the front of the briefing room.

            He looked at them gravely before beginning his speech.  "Godzilla is not anything especially new to us.  However, his existence is a surprise today as most scientists of the 21st Century concluded he had died in Second Impact, which is obviously not the case.  Godzilla has threatened Japan, Tokyo in particular a number of times before.  In fact, Godzilla has been a thorn in our government's side since long before any of us were born.

            "Godzilla first appeared in 1954.  Before that he was not as he appears now.  In fact, Godzilla was at one time a creature known as Godzillasaurus, a name coined by the Japanese upon learning the truth of his origin.  As ludicrous as it may seem, Godzilla was in fact a dinosaur that had survived the extinction that had occurred over 65 million years ago.  This Godzillasaurus inhabited the island of Lagos in the south pacific.

            "During World War II, Lagos became home to a Japanese garrison.  When the Americans had begun their counteroffensive against Japan, they wiped out the Japanese garrisons on the neighboring islands one by one.  When the time came to invade Lagos, the Godzillasaurus appeared and actually routed the attacking Americans.  However, in the process it was severely injured by artillery fire from the battleships offshore.

            "When the garrison left, the dinosaur was dying.  Then came the H-bomb tests on the Bikini Atolls not far from Lagos.  The island was destroyed during the test.  The dinosaur's body responded abnormally to the intense radiation from the blast.  It mutated considerably and grew to an unbelievable size.  That was how Godzilla was born.

            "When Godzilla first appeared, he attacked Tokyo.  The army used every resource at their disposal to no avail.  No weapon could faze the monster.  After all but completely leveling the city, Godzilla retreated into Tokyo Bay.

            "Meanwhile, the army finally developed a weapon which might have been able to defeat Godzilla.  A local scientist had been conducting research into the properties of oxygen.  His discoveries led to an unexpected and terrible invention, a chemical weapon known only as the oxygen destroyer.  The oxygen destroyer was said to be so powerful that it would make even the BC weapons of today look tame by comparison.  After much deliberation, this scientist finally decided that the oxygen destroyer was the only thing that could stop Godzilla.

            "The government put the scientist to work immediately.  Within a day they were ready to place and fire the weapon.  The scientist insisted that he place the weapon himself.  He did so and fired the weapon as had been planned.  However, in order to prevent the oxygen destroyer's use as a weapon ever again, the man took his own life, taking to the grave everything regarding the oxygen destroyer.  To this day no one has ever been able to recreate it…"

            "And Godzilla?" interrupted Gendo.

            "The oxygen destroyer seemed to work.  Godzilla was not seen again for thirty years.  Then, in 1984, Godzilla once again appeared and attacked Tokyo a second time.  Even though he was probably the same Godzilla, he was very different from how he was in 1954.  Godzilla had almost doubled in size over the thirty years between his first appearance and his reemergence.  When he first attacked Japan, Godzilla was only fifty meters tall.  When he emerged a second time, he was eighty meters.  Later on, he reached a height of one hundred meters, his maximum to date.  We attribute this to a number of nuclear accidents and tests in the pacific, which probably furthered Godzilla's mutation.

            When Godzilla attacked for the second time, a second scientist came up with a way to lead Godzilla to Mt. Mihara by replicating the specific frequency of bird calls.  Apparently, a certain portion of Godzilla's brain had been innately conditioned to follow these calls to their source, probably a result of dinorsaurs' relationship to birds.  Using equipment to create an artificial frequency, they succeeded in leading Godzilla to the mouth of the volcano.  There, they used explosives to trigger a controlled eruption, knocking Godzilla into the mouth of the volcano.

            "However, Godzilla was not completely contained.  In 1989, Godzilla escaped from the volcano and remained at large for a considerable amount of time.  Over that period of time, Japan was beset by a number of other kaiju.  These kaiju all had different origins.  Not all of the kaiju were hostile, one or two of them were even benign.  Some of them fought with Godzilla, most of them lost those fights.  At least two of the kaiju hailed from outer space oddly enough.

            "While these other kaiju represented potent threats, Godzilla remained the primary threat to Japan.  The Japanese government created a branch of the military specifically for the purpose of counteracting the threat of Godzilla.  They called this organization G-Force.  In some ways, G-Force was NERV's predecessor when it came to defending Japan from specific threats.  Of all the branches of the Japanese military, G-Force quickly became the best funded.

            "In order to fight Godzilla, the scientists at G-Force created a pair of giant robots.  These robots were in a way the Evas of their day.  They were built at different times.  The first one was a robotic replica of Godzilla himself, aptly called Mechagodzilla.  The robot had limited success in fighting Godzilla but was destroyed in its second sortie.  The second robot called MOGUERA actually fought alongside Godzilla against one of the space born kaiju.  It was destroyed in that battle.

            "During this period of time, an egg was found on an island in the Bering Sea.  Scientists brought the egg back to Japan.  It soon hatched into a baby Godzilla.  The creature was eventually liberated by Godzilla and went with him.  They took up residence on an Island called Birth Island in the Pacific.  When studies were conducted on the island, it was found that the island lay on a bed of almost pure uranium.  Only the uranium's impurities kept it from reaching critical mass.  The radioactivity had drawn both Godzilla and his adopted son to the island.  There, they seemed content enough to draw on the island's ambient radioactivity.  For a long time they were merely observed so long as they did not pose a threat to Japan.

            "However, in 1995, the impurities in the uranium under Birth Island suddenly seemed to disappear.  As a result, the entire island vanished in a massive nuclear fission reaction.  Fortunately, the uranium's location located beneath the island and under the ocean floor kept the island from becoming a giant A-bomb.

            "The same could not be said of Godzilla.  The destruction of the island had infused him with more radioactive energy than even he could hold.  Godzilla had a special organ in his body that utilized his nuclear energy, the organic equivalent of a fusion reactor.  This reactor began to overload.  Godzilla was in danger of literally exploding.  When he did so, his sheer mass combined with his power would cause an explosion of cataclysmic proportions.  The explosion would be so powerful that it would ignite the Earth's atmosphere, creating a worldwide firestorm that would wipe out life as we know it.

            "At the same time, Tokyo was beset by a new and strange kaiju.  These creatures were formerly Precambrian era crustaceans that had been mutated by the oxygen destroyer over forty years prior.  These creatures grew and eventually combined to form a giant monster that was essentially a living, breathing oxygen destroyer.  The scientists at G-Force determined that if this creature could kill Godzilla, the explosion would be stopped.

            "The younger Godzilla had appeared off the coast of Japan, heading north.  Using tactics which have never been made public, G-Force altered Godzilla Jr.'s (that's what they called him) course so that he would head for Tokyo.  As they predicted, the original Godzilla followed Jr.  In Tokyo, Jr. fought and for a short time defeated the creature which had been dubbed Destroyer.  However, by the time Godzilla had arrived, Destroyer had mutated into an even more powerful form.

            "This ultimate Destroyer killed Godzilla Jr. and came within a hair's breadth of defeating Godzilla.  But Godzilla's out of control radioactivity proved to be too much for Destroyer and the creature was forced to retreat.  It was killed by the military before it could get very far.

            "The military fired special freezing lasers at Godzilla in a last ditch effort to stop the explosion.  It seemed to work.  Instead exploding, Godzilla melted down, saturating Tokyo and everything within 200 miles with intense radioactivity, turning a massive section of Japan into a lifeless tomb.  Then, the radioactivity vanished.  The cause of this phenomenon was soon discovered.  Godzilla Jr. had absorbed the massive amounts of radiation released by his predecessor's death and had mutated into a fully mature Godzilla.  This new Godzilla disappeared into the ocean and wasn't seen again, until now."  Ishiro looked up from his notes at his audience.

            The entire group sat silently.  Most of them appeared to be thunderstruck by the information.  Gendo seemed to be considering it and trying to figure out a way to use it.  The briefing room was silent for a long time.

            Finally, Gendo spoke.  "Why did Godzilla disappear for so long?"

            "Well," said Ishiro, "You have to remember that this was not the original Godzilla.  He started life as an un-mutated Godzillasaurus.  However, when Godzilla brought the baby to Birth Island, the island's radiation accelerated the immature Godzillasaurus's development exponentially while at the same time beginning his mutation into another Godzilla.  The original Godzilla had already reached maturity as a Godzillasaurus before being exposed to the radiation which transformed him, whereas this infant Godzillasaurus was being mutated as he matured.

            "When Birth Island disappeared in that nuclear cataclysm, his growth and mutation were accelerated even further, resulting in a near adult Godzilla with the psyche of an immature Godzillasaurus.  When Jr. absorbed the radiation from the original Godzilla's death, he reached complete maturity in body, but not in mind.  As a result of not just one but three such extreme mutations, Jr.'s mind was probably close to overwhelmed.  He was in the same position a human would be if a five year old were to suddenly find himself in the body of a twenty year old.  In order to give his mind time to cope with his physical maturity, Godzilla probably went into hibernation until he had reached full maturity in body and mind."

            Fuyutsuki asked, "How has Godzilla been able to stay underwater for so long?"

            "It's hard to say, but seeing as Godzilla is saurian in nature I would have to rule out the possibility of gills.  I believe that Godzilla is able to draw oxygen out of water by breathing it in much the same way that we humans are able to "breathe" LCL."

            Gendo nodded and then asked another question.  "What has worked when fighting Godzilla?"

            "Several different tactics have been used," replied Ishiro, "The oxygen destroyer was the most effective, apparently forcing Godzilla into a thirty year period of recovery, but we are still no closer to actually creating another one.  Geneticists also created a strain of bacteria that absorbed nuclear energy at one time.  They injected the bacteria into Godzilla.  It worked for a short time but failed ultimately."

            "Could the bacteria be used again against this Godzilla?" asked Gendo.

            "I doubt it.  The tests that I have conducted thus far show that Godzilla's genetic structure is surprisingly adaptable.  Exposure to ANB would probably trigger a mutation in Godzilla that would give him immunity to all strains of ANB bacteria."

            "What do we know about Godzilla that will be useful in fighting him?" inquired Fuyutsuki.

            "An excellent question; let me show you data gathered from our last battle."  The screen behind Ishiro lit up, showing a recording of the battle as gathered from various cameras located around Tokyo 3.  The scene showed Unit 01 firing at Godzilla with the rifle.  Suddenly, the image froze.

            The imaged zoomed in on Godzilla at the exact point of impact for the bullets from Unit 01's rifle.  "Watch closely," instructed Ishiro.  The image played in slow motion.  The bullet impacted against Godzilla's skin.

            Chunks of Godzilla's hide flew in every direction and a jet of blood actually streamed out of the vicious wound.  Then, the wound was gone, as if it had never been there.  Finally, a second bullet could be seen coming into the field of view.

            A gasp came from the back.  It had come from Maya.

            "Mein Gott!" hissed Asuka.

            "Incredible," was all that Misato could say.

            The room was full of gasps of surprise for a moment.  Ishiro looked gravely at them all.  "Godzilla's regenerative abilities are far beyond those of any Angel.  Godzilla can heal his wounds in microseconds.  He was able to heal this particular one before the next bullet even hit."

            "How can we counter something like that?" pondered Ritsuko.

            "For the time being, I am at a loss," admitted Ishiro, "I have no idea on how to deal with this.  Our only hope is to analyze the samples of G-cells that we have now and hope that we can discover some weakness in Godzilla's regenerative abilities."

            "I trust that you will be in charge of that," said Gendo.  Ishiro nodded.

            "Can you give us a conjecture on why Godzilla came here in the first place?" asked Fuyutsuki.

            "I can," replied Ishiro, "I believe that Godzilla may have come here following the trail of the submarine that we sent out to locate the missing ship.  Then, when our forces opened fire on him when he was approaching shore, they drew him further in.  Finally, he sensed the presence of three large, unknown creatures, the Evas, on land and went to challenge them.

            "Several attempts have been made in the past to map the extent of what we believe might be Godzilla's territory.  We believe that it extends at least as far north as the Bering Sea and south into the South Pacific.  It extends west into the waters around Hong Kong and east, all the way to the West Coast of the United States.  For all we know, Godzilla's territory might encompass the entire Pacific Ocean.  If that's the case, then he would have viewed our Evas as intruders into his territory and come to drive them away.

            "There is also an equally plausible theory.  Godzilla came here to feed."

            "Feed on what?" asked Misato, "The Evas?"  Asuka shuddered, imagining the monster gnawing on Unit 02.

            "Not on the Evas," replied Ishiro, "Godzilla absorbs radioactivity to restore his energy.  This entire complex and the city above are powered by multiple nuclear reactors.  To Godzilla, this place probably looked like an all you can eat buffet."

            Ishiro's face closed.  "That's all I can really say on the matter.  I can't give you any more information until we've done a full analysis on the G-cells we have."

            "Then this briefing is over," declared Gendo.  Everyone slowly filed out.  Misato pushed Shinji's wheelchair, taking him back to the hospital wing.  Asuka followed them.  Maya, Shigeru and Makoto all made their way back to the command center.  Ritsuko went to oversee some work on the Evas.  Only Gendo, Fuyutsuki, Rei, and Ishiro were left in the room.

            "Well done Pilot Saegusa," commented Gendo.  Ishiro met his gaze squarely, not in the least intimidated by the man.

            "I will inform you on any developments sir," said Ishiro.  He turned and strode out.  Even though he couldn't see her, he knew that Rei's eyes followed his every move.

***

            Far below the geofront, in the vast complex of rooms and caverns known as Terminal Dogma was a titan.  Suspended on a massive cross the white figure hung motionless, her face covered by a mask, a mask that represented the deceit of the men who had placed it there.  In the center of her humanoid abdomen were two small puncture wounds.  The rest of the body was unmarked, save for the hands which were pinned to the cross by giant nails.  Her feet dangled into a pool of amber liquid that was nothing more than its own blood.

            She had lain dormant for many years and had only recently been given the prompting to reawaken.  Of course, it required the insertion and subsequent removal of the most powerful weapon the world had ever seen to stimulate her silent nerves.

            In the empty silence, a low moan, one almost too low to be heard by human ears, echoes through the chamber.  Slowly, the moan built in volume, the chamber's acoustics reverberating it.  She began to struggle against the nails which held her in place.  For a moment it seemed like the massive titan might break free; but only for a moment.  Slowly, her moan died away and her struggles ceased.  Within moments the massive white figure returned to her silent state.

            However, still deeper under the steel of NERV, another heard the trapped one's cries.  In the solid rock of the world's crust, in the sloping mountains above and below the rising and falling tides of oceans, beneath lakes both small and vast alike, in the craters of active and dormant volcanoes, in the forests and jungles, in the rivers and streams, the cry reverberated.  And deep within the molten core that is the heart of the planet called Earth, a response slowly came.

***

            Ishiro looked up from his microscope.  He had heard her moaning cry as clear as if he had been standing in front of her.  He also knew that he was not the only one who had heard it.  Slowly, a smile spread across his face, a smile that reflected the infinite amusement at the situation that was slowly developing.

            "Ikari," he muttered, "Fuyutsuki, Seele, all of them, fools."  His smile became a grin.  _It will not be long, he thought, __She will soon come to claim her daughter.  His thoughts shifted to the right hand of Gendo Ikari.  _And her son.__

***

            Rei sat on her bed in the dingy apartment that was her home.  Of course, the term home had never really meant anything to her before.  To her it was merely a place where she was to be stored when she wasn't needed.  Now however, she was beginning to consider the meaning of Ishiro's words.  _Make your life your own,_ he had said.

            She wondered how to go about doing this.  _Open your mind.  Shed the barriers that your emotional conditioning has placed around your sole._

            _I do not know enough, she concluded, __I shall ask Ishiro._

***

            The Pacific Ocean was home to a number of islands.  With the rise and fall of the sea-level after Second Impact, many of these islands had been all but washed away.  Yet, despite the destruction, a few stubborn spots of land remained.  One of these was a fairly nondescript island located not far from Indonesia.

            There was nothing especially remarkable about this particular island.  Even though it had been large enough and tall enough to weather even the worse tsunamis of Second Impact it was not found to be noteworthy.

            Of course, no one bothered to look any closer or they would have found something worthy of their notice.  Within one of the island's enormous caves, a massive form shifted her bulk.  The low moaning cry of the trapped one did not go unnoticed here either.  She shifted her bulk, uneasy from pondering the implications of the cry.

            As her mind drifted on thoughts of the one trapped far below, she became aware of something else, a terror from above.  Turning her eyes upward to behold the sky, visible through a hole in the cave's roof, her thoughts turned to the one who came from the heavens, bearing a terror not known for many years.

            Within a mind too complex for humans to grasp, a conclusion was formed and a decision made.  The thoughts of the one trapped beneath slipped away from her consciousness as she began to prepare for the god of destruction who was making his descent.  The goddess began to reach out towards her unknown chosen.

***

            Meanwhile, night had fallen on the now peaceful streets of Tokyo 3.  Few people were out and about at this particular time of night.  Most slept in preparation for the day ahead.  Most slept peacefully, untroubled by dreams or disturbing images.

            But in the apartment of Misato Katsuragi, one was not sleeping very well at all.  Asuka tossed and turned on her futon.  Her blankets and sheets were tangled about her restless form.  Despite her body's constant state of motion, Asuka Langely Soryu was very far from the world of the awake.

            In her dream she floated in a vast empty space.  The very air around her seemed to glow with unearthly light.  Looking ahead, she saw the figure of a woman.  There was something oddly familiar about her, yet troublingly different.  Asuka willed herself to move closer and was surprised to find that her body obeyed (this was a dream after all).  She was soon able to make out the details of the woman.

            "Mama," she gasped, for she was certain that the figure in front of her was indeed her mother.  Yet, she bore almost no resemblance to the mother Asuka knew.  The woman's face was that of her mother.  Her figure was completely hidden under a robe of rainbow hues which seemed to be made from giant moth wings.

            "I am so sorry little one," said the woman, her voice laden with kindness, "But your mother I am not.  I merely wanted a form which you could identify as familiar and hopefully not frighten you away."

            "If you're not my mother then who are you?" demanded Asuka, "How dare you show up looking like Mama?  I shouldn't listen to another word you say!"

            "Please," pleaded the unknown woman, "The lives of so many hinge on the decision you're about to make, whether or not to pay heed to me."

            "Alright," snapped Asuka, "But make it quick.  What do you want to tell me?"

            The woman's face filled with sadness at what she was about to do.  "I cannot tell you, so I must show you."  Slowly, the robe pulled away from her body, revealing that they really were the wings of a giant moth.  However, the brilliant wings were the last thing that captured Asuka's attention as her gaze was drawn to the vision the wings revealed.

            Asuka's scream of sheer terror resonated through the apartment.  In her room, Misato sat bolt upright at the sound.  Rushing over to Asuka's door, Misato didn't hesitated to throw the door open and rush into the room.

            The impact nearly threw Misato to the floor.  Asuka clung to her.  Her arms had wrapped themselves around Misato's waist as she sobbed against Misato's chest.  Having no idea what was going on, Misato wrapped her arms around Asuka's shoulders and slowly lowered them both to the floor.  There, Misato gently rocked her young charge back and forth, making a number of attempts to soothe the girl.

            "It's okay," she whispered, "I'm here."

            Asuka couldn't speak; she just leaned against her surrogate mother and cried.  For a few moments, everything had been wiped from her mind by an image that invoked nothing less than her most base and primal fears.

            Misato held the child, trying her best to comfort Asuka.  Had it not just happened, she would have never believed such a thing to be possible.  She considered Asuka to be the least likely person to have these kinds of nightmares.  "What could have done this to you?" she wondered aloud.  Asuka had no answers.

***

            Ishiro wiped his forehead.  He was surprised to find that in the vision's aftermath he had been shaking.  _And I had a good idea what was coming._  He hadn't been bothered in the least by the fact that he had seen the vision.  After many years, such eavesdropping had become quite natural to him.

            He sat on his bed in his almost empty bedroom, pondering the implications of the vision.  Quitely he intoned, "When man found Adam he found his God.  Now, humanity will soon face his Satan."  He shuddered at his own words.

            _It's all happening now, he marveled, __humanity will soon be beset from all sides._

***

            Deep under the ocean's surface, the creature known to the world as Godzilla began to stir.  The hunger within him had not yet been sated.  Slowly, the monster stirred.  Steadily he began making his way back to his intended destination.  Godzilla hungered, and unless that hunger was sated, nothing would deter him from his goal…nothing.

***

            Ishiro leaned back away from his desk, sighing in frustration.  He wasn't used to having to work so hard to figure things out.  "Humans are one thing," he groaned, "Godzilla is another entirely."  He had not had any success in devising a way to effectively counter Godzilla, short of driving him off with the Evas again.

            _But that is only a temporary solution, he thought, _Given___ time, Godzilla will simply try again.  I need some way to at least deter him for a longer period of time until we can devise an effective countermeasure.  He sighed.  _And he's already on the move again.__

            His mind flashed through a number of possibilities.  Then it hit him.  _If the radioactive energy from the reactors is what Godzilla is after, then all we need to do is provide him with an alternate source of sustenance._

            He hit the intercom button.  "I would like to see Major Katsuragi please," he said.

            Ten minutes later, Misato walked into his "office."  "What is it?" she asked, obviously curious as to why he wanted to talk to her.

            "Misato, are there any areas with ambient radioactivity nearby?"

            "What do you mean?"  Misato blinked in surprise and confusion.

            "Nuclear waste dumps, accidents, test sites, anything?"  Ishiro's eyes betrayed a sliver of desperation.

            "Yes," replied Misato, "Old Tokyo is a radioactive wasteland.  A nuclear accident bathed the entire area with radioactive energy and killed everyone there."  Her eyes widened as she hit on his train of thought.  "You're going to lead Godzilla to Old Tokyo instead of letting him come back to Tokyo 3."

            Ishiro nodded.  "Exactly."

            "But that won't do any good," Misato protested, "If Godzilla feeds off the radioactivity, he'll only grow stronger.  And when he finishes Old Tokyo he'll come back to Tokyo 3."

            "This is only a temporary solution," replied Ishiro, "Right now; the key to everything is _time_.  I need more time to analyze the G-cells we have in order to find an effective way to fight Godzilla.  Godzilla himself is already on the move again and heading to Tokyo 3 and he's getting desperate to get at those reactors.  The Evas won't be enough to drive him off a second time.  The radioactivity in Old Tokyo will keep him busy for some time, giving us the time we need to prepare a really effective countermeasure."

            "I see," said Misato, nodding, "So you're just buying time with this little trick."

            "If there's as much radioactivity as you say in Old Tokyo, then we could buy months, even one or two year's worth of time."

            "Okay," said Misato, now eager to begin, "What do we do?"

            "Here's what needs to happen," declared Ishiro, getting out a map of Japan.  He looked at his desk, cluttered with microscopes and other equipment and spread it out on the floor instead.  "If everything works right, we won't even need the Evas."

***

            Misato left the room heading towards the command center feeling very satisfied.  They had worked out a satisfactory plan to lead Godzilla towards Old Tokyo, taking him away from Tokyo 3.  _It'll give the pilots more time to relax if they don't have to fight like this,_ thought Misato happily.

            She was halfway to the command center when the thought struck her.  _He said Godzilla was already on the move.  How did he know that?_  She froze.  _The monster disappeared off all our sensors after he left and we still haven't found him._

            She looked back the way she had come.  _You creep me out kid.  Making a decision, Misato continued on towards the command center._

***

            "I approve of this plan Major," stated Gendo as he looked up from Misato's written proposal.

            "Pilot Saegusa deserves all the credit sir," replied Misato humbly.

            "Tell the pilots and all other relevant personnel to report to the briefing room at once," ordered Gendo, "I want to begin work on this immediately."  _The sooner Godzilla is taken care of, the sooner we can get on with Third Impact._

***

            In a place that was not really a place, the twelve monoliths of Seele were deep in conference.

            "This has thrown back our schedule considerably."

            "Indeed, this creature will make Third Impact difficult to instigate."

            "Our hybrid failed against the new Eva."

            "What about the pilot?  What do we know of him?"

            "We know less than we know about the Eva itself."

            "Our sources within NERV tell us that he has already risen to a position of considerable stature within the organization."

            "How?"

            "It appears that he is the sole person in the organization who can be called upon as any authority on Godzilla."

            "For now we will have to call of all further planned attacks.  As long as Godzilla is a problem, we cannot try to instigate Third Impact."

            "Ikari will soon solve this problem for us.  If we cannot act, then neither can he."

            "Once this problem is resolved, we can advance our schedule as planned."

            None of the twelve members were aware that their conversation was being monitored in the most clandestine way possible.  And far away, in a place that was a place, Ishiro Saegusa burst out laughing at the fools' presumptions.  _They have no idea the Pandora's Box they have already opened.  A savage grin spread across his face.  __Godzilla is but a catalyst.  He has set in motion the forces that have been gathering ever since man tampered with God's plan.  He looked up at the ceiling of his lab.  _These fools have already sown the seeds of their own destruction and soon those seeds will bear fruit.__

Author's note: This is not one of my better chapters.  It's boring for one thing.  A lot of this is just review about the history of Godzilla.  I can promise however, that Chapter 5 will have a lot more action.


	5. Execution: Battle in Old Tokyo

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of Evangelion or Godzilla and co.  I am just a really big fan of both of them.

**Chapter 5: **Execution/Battle in Old Tokyo

Dedicated to Ishiro Honda, the man who brought Tanaka's dream to life.

             "The plan's pretty simple," stated Misato, "If everything works, we won't need the Evas.  A tanker aircraft is being filled as we speak with all the radioactive waste we can find.  The waste will be processed into a liquid form which can be dispersed easily.  When Godzilla surfaces, the aircraft will pass low over him and begin to release the waste in a contrail.  Our hope is that Godzilla will follow the aircraft until he is close enough to Old Tokyo to sense the ambient radioactivity in the area.  Then, he will probably take up residence in Old Tokyo until all of the radioactivity has been drained."

            Misato was briefing the NERV staff on the plan.  It had been about four weeks, since Ishiro had arrived and about a week after he had come up with the plan.  Ishiro sat up front next to Asuka and Rei.  Even though it was his plan, he was present as a pilot, not a commander.

            "So what's the point of having us here?" inquired Asuka.

            "If the plane fails to draw Godzilla away, or it is attacked and destroyed by Godzilla, the Evas will be required to move in and try to herd Godzilla towards Old Tokyo," replied Misato, "If that happens, then we will launch the Evas one at a time, starting with Unit 14."

            "What?" demanded Asuka, "Why not me?!"

            "It's not a matter of your piloting skills Asuka," said Misato, "Unit 14 can function uninhibited in a high radiation environment without suffering damage."

            "Oh."

            "Should that fail, then Unit 01 and Unit 02, in that order, will be launched to continue the process.  They will be equipped with R2 equipment so that they can operate.  Be warned that the R2 equipment will moderately hamper your Eva's maneuverability…"

            "Major?" asked Rei.

            "Yes?"  Misato looked at Rei, startled by the normally silent girl's voice.

            "Who will be piloting Unit 01?" she finished.

            "You will Rei," replied Misato.  The technicians, with Ritsuko's and Maya's help, were still working on the reconstruction of Unit 00.  Something flashed across the girl's eyes.  _Was that fear? she wondered.  "Are you alright with this Rei?"_

            "Y-yes ma'am," replied Rei.

            _She's definitely afraid, thought Misato, _Why?__

            Ishiro turned to glance at Rei.  Ayanami had actually begun to shake slightly.  Her fear was plain to him.  _I have to stop her before Commander Ikari notices, he thought, _Otherwise he would find out what Rei is trying to do for herself and stop it._  Gently, he rested his hand on top of hers.  Rei looked at him.  She seemed to calm slightly as their eyes met._

            "Uh, that's all I have to say," said Misato.

            "We will begin at once," declared Gendo, "The mission will be ready to commence in two hours."

            "I never thought I'd see the day when Wondergirl got scared," gloated Asuka.  Memories of her own ordeal seemed to have been buried underneath her pride again.

            "What's the matter Wondergirl," taunted Asuka as she looked into Rei's expressionless face, "Afraid you won't even be able to get Unit 01 to lift a finger?"  She smiled maliciously.  She opened mouth, another taunt loaded and ready.

            "Enough Asuka," said Ishiro firmly, coming and standing next to Rei.  Asuka's taunts and gloats died on her lips as she looked into the boy's eyes, "You shouldn't be so quick to gloat when you think about what happened to you not so long ago."

            Asuka's jaw dropped.  Tears formed in her eyes.  Every part of your being cried out in shame.  "How dare you?!" she growled, drawing out every syllable.

            "You don't like having your own faults pointed out to you Asuka," replied Ishiro, his voice colder than liquid nitrogen, "So you have no right to be so quick to point out the faults of others."  His voice was cold, but his eyes glowed red with the fires of his anger.

            Asuka's mouth worked but no words came out.  Finally, she turned on her heel and walked away down the hallway.

            "Why are you afraid of Unit 01?" asked Ishiro gently, now that he and Rei were alone.

            "I have been in Unit 01 before," replied Rei, "I felt its hate for me.  I was not welcome."

            "Why did it hate you?"

            "Because, I was made from part of it."  Rei looked away.

            "I see," said Ishiro.  He took her hand in both of his.  "I promise right now Rei, that you will not have to get into Unit 01."

            "How?" asked Rei, her anxiety making its way into her voice, "If your plan fails and you fail…"

            "I will not fail," stated Ishiro firmly.  He gave Rei's hand a gentle squeeze and let go.  He turned and headed off towards the changing rooms.

            Rei leaned against the wall, shaking.  She shook not because of her anxiety over having to pilot Unit 01, but because of the fact that she had not only betrayed that fear, but felt it in the first place.  _What is happening to me?_

            Ishiro's voice haunted her conciousness.  _Learn what it is like to live life as a human, to feel joy, pain, anger, sadness, and love._  She was slowly beginning to understand what she needed to do.

            Shinji was practicing walking.  His arm remained in a cast and sling and his neck in a brace, but he was able to hobble around like an old man, which was an improvement after the weeks when he couldn't walk at all.  There was nowhere for him to go, so he simply walked in circles around his small hospital room.

            He had no idea how many times he had been around the room, but Shinji had been at it for a while when somebody knocked on his door.  He turned to face the door.  "Come in," he said as clearly as he could.

            The door hissed open and Asuka came in.  Looking at her, Shinji could see that she had been crying.  "What's wrong?" he asked gently.

            "I-it's nothing," stammered Asuka, wiping her eyes.  When she finished, she gave Shinji a look that told him not to press the issue.

            "What brings you here?" he asked tentatively.

            "Do I need a reason to come and see you?" she said tartly.

            "Uh, no," said Shinji.

            "I'm sorry Shinji.  I just haven't been having the best of days right now," she said.  She sat down on the chair that was set next to Shinji's bed.  Shinji shambled over and took a seat on the mattress.  There was a long silence.  Finally, she looked up at him.  "Are you feeling any better?"

            "I'm feeling alright," replied Shinji, glancing down at his cast and the sling in which it hung.

            "Does it still hurt?" Asuka inquired guiltily following his gaze.

            "I wouldn't know," he said, "They give me enough painkillers that I don't think I'd feel it if my arm fell right off."

            "I'm so sorry Shinji," said Asuka, looking to be on the verge of tears.

            "Sorry?  Sorry for what?"  He looked at her, confused.

            "I'm sorry for everything, for the crappy way I treated you, for being such a bitch, for this…" she nodded towards his arm.

            "But this isn't your fault," Shinji interrupted.

            "I'm still sorry."  Asuka dropped her gaze down.

            Shinji gently reached over and cupped her chin with his good hand.  Gently, he raised her head so that their eyes met.  "Listen," he said firmly, "You have no reason to feel sorry for me Asuka.  This isn't your fault..." he hesitated as he saw a tear run down her face.  "Don't put yourself down Asuka.  I hate it when you do this to yourself."

            Asuka stopped.  She reached up and took his hand in both of her own.  She gave him a small smile.  Shinji smiled back.  Asuka let go of his hand and stood up.  "I have to go," she announced, stepping out the door and closing it behind her.

            "Be careful," whispered Shinji as he lay back down on his bed.

            "I trust you can handle this Major," said Ishiro.  Misato nodded.

            "I will wait in Unit 14 then," stated Ishiro, leaving the command center.

            "I said it before and I'll say it again," said Misato.  Maya, Shigeru and Makoto all joined her in saying, "That boy creeps me out."  Misato smiled as the others laughed.  Misato's smile disappeared as she considered the reasons she had for feeling that something was just not right about Saegusa.  _He always seems to know more than he's letting on.  He even seems to know things he hasn't been told yet._

            Misato shrugged, deciding to leave the question for another time.  An alarm sounded in the command center.  Godzilla had surfaced in Tokyo 3 harbor.  "Here we go," she said.

            "Launch the aircraft," she ordered.

            "Yes ma'am," came a reply from below.  Misato shouted out orders and the various subordinates took them without question.  The command staff of NERV worked together like a well oiled machine, getting the job done and doing it right.

            "We have visual," announced Shigeru.  An image, several stories tall, formed in the space in front of the main bridge.  Godzilla stood in water up to his waste, staring at the shore of Japan.  For the time being, he seemed content to let the humans make the first move.  The batteries in the hills and along the roads were silent.  The soldiers knew that the slightest shot could provoke an unstoppable advance.  Godzilla looked at the silent machines and voiced a serious of curious growls and piercing cries.  He was obviously confused by the fact that he had not yet been attacked.

            "The plane is in position," reported Makoto.

            "Begin the operation," announced Misato.

            "Roger," replied Makoto, relaying the instructions to the pilot of the aircraft.

            The large, ponderous tanker aircraft flew slowly by overhead, its low drone attracting Godzilla's attention.  The kaiju growled with curiosity as he tilted his head upward to follow the flight of the strange machine.

            "Begin releasing the payload," instructed Misato.

            Per her instructions, the plane released a white contrail of processed nuclear waste.  It was utterly useless for anything.  It was radioactive however, and that was enough to get the attention of Godzilla's precisely tuned sense of smell.  Godzilla gave off what sounded like a child's squeal of delight as he moved towards the slowly settling trail of white mist.  As he did, his entire body flared with blue light where the mist made contact with his skin.  Godzilla lumbered after the slowly retreating plane, heading towards Old Tokyo.

            "It's working!" exclaimed Misato.  Cheers echoed around the chamber.

            "If we allow the kaiju to destroy Tokyo 3 and the Evas, Lilith will be defenseless," declared Seele 01.  Seele was deep in conference and the various members were planning their next moves.

            "Yes, but already they are leading him towards the Old City, where he will stay until he no longer is able to pose a threat."

            "Indeed, it won't be long before NERV finds an effective way to fight Godzilla, then it will all be over."

            "It is too simple though, all we need to do is destroy the plane."

            "Yes, and one of our spies is in a position to seize control of the defensive installations."

            "Let it be done then.  Let us loose the creature on Tokyo 3 one final time."

            Misato smiled, satisfied.  Everything was going according to plan.  Looking over at one of the other monitors, she saw Ishiro sitting in the entry plug of his Eva.  He too monitored the events taking place outside.  However, the look on his face was far from relieved or satisfied.  He watched the proceedings with a frown, the kind of frown a person wears when they expect things to go horribly wrong.

            Seconds later, Misato too had a reason to frown as alarms flared up across the width and breadth of the command center.  "What's wrong?" she demanded.

            "One of the missile silos has activated," announced Maya.  She gasped in horror as she realized what was happening.  "It's targeting the aircraft!"

            "What!?" yelled Misato, shocked by the news.

            "It appears that we have been betrayed," whispered Fuyutsuki as he and Ikari watched from the upper command deck.

            "Indeed," agreed Gendo, "It must be someone from Seele."

            "Stop him immediately!" ordered Misato frantically.

            "We can't!" shouted Maya, "It's already too late!"

            "Please no," murmured Misato as she watched the disaster begin.

            A missile streaked out of one of the launchers concealed in the hills.  It struck the unsuspecting plane in the midsection.  The entire aircraft broke apart, raining its payload of radioactive debris on the sea below.  Godzilla voiced a shriek of displeasure as he absorbed the energy from the debris.  His displeasure was more from the presence of the missile than the destruction of the plane.  Turning, the monster began heading for Tokyo 3 again.

            "Oh God," Misato almost sobbed.

            Shigeru put down the phone.  "We've just received word that the traitor is now in custody.  He won't say who he works for though."

            "That's to be expected," said Ikari flatly.

            "It was working."  Misato was distraught.

            "Major."  Ishiro's voice came firmly over the comm.  "Launch Unit 14 now!"

            "Right," said Misato, regaining her composure, "Eva launch!"

            Unit 14 shot up the launch track.  Ishiro waited calmly while his Eva sped to the surface.  He had not intention of actually fighting Godzilla.  But one way or another, he would send Godzilla to Old Tokyo.  Time was something desperately needed.  Further more, he had every intention of keeping his promise to Rei until his last breath.

            Unit 14 emerged not far from Tokyo 3.  Quickly his Eva broke into a run for where Godzilla was last known to be.  Up ahead, the sky was alight with explosions and filled with smoke as defensive batteries opened fire.  Per Ishiro's instructions, only the batteries that were not between Godzilla and Tokyo 3 had opened fire as Godzilla tended to advance towards rather than retreat from the source of fire.  However, Godzilla was ignoring the attacking installations, his mind obviously focused on reaching the reactors in Tokyo 3.  The batteries fell silent as Unit 14 approached.

            In two minutes, Unit 14 stood between Godzilla and Tokyo 3.  The two giants faced one another.  Godzilla snarled and growled.  His eyes showed a sense of vague recognition of the thing in front of him.  Opening his mouth, Godzilla roared a challenge.

            Unit 14 remained silent.  Inside, Ishiro began prepared to do what was needed.  "Here we go," he muttered.  Slowly, his eyes drifted closed and he began to concentrate as he had never concentrated before in his life.

            The alarms in the command center reached a fever pitch as the latest round of bad news swept through the staff.  "Ishiro's synch ratio just dropped to zero!" exclaimed Maya.

            "What!?" gasped Misato, rushing to look over Maya's shoulder.

            "Unit 14 has gone completely silent," announced Makoto, his voice betraying his distress, "All cockpit monitors are down.  We can't get any readings on the pilot."

            "What's going on?" demanded Ritsuko.

            On the screen, Godzilla and Unit 14 faced each other.  Surprisingly, despite Unit 14's apparent lifelessness, Godzilla made no move to attack.  Instead, he appeared to have locked his gaze with that of the silent Eva, as if he were hypnotized.

            "What on Earth?" marveled Misato.

            Ishiro groaned with exertion.  What his mother had said was indeed true.  Godzilla's will was very strong.  Ishiro was beginning to wonder if he could actually succeed.

            _You can't alone, whispered a voice.  For a moment, Ishiro's concentration broke slightly as he tried to locate its source.  Outside, Godzilla growled and hissed in confusion.  Ishiro suddenly realized that the voice had come from within the Eva itself._

            _Who are you? he inquired._

            _I am that which gives the Eva life, answered the voice, _I will aid you.__

            He could feel the presence behind the voice, the presence within the Eva itself, embracing him like a long lost relative.  He felt strength filling him and he once again bent his mind to the task at hand.  Outside the Eva, Godzilla went rigid as the battle of wills began again.  This time however, Ishiro had every intention of winning.

            "Ishiro's synch ratio just rose to 235%!" exclaimed Maya.

            "Impossible!" snapped Misato, "First he goes to zero and now your telling me his synch ratio is even higher than before!"

            "Unit 14 is still silent though," remarked Makoto, "I see no signs of reactivation."

            "What in God's name is going on out there?" said Misato, voicing the question on the minds of everyone watching the exchange.

            It wasn't easy.  Even with his newfound ally, Ishiro was still having trouble.  Godzilla's will was like a solid wall of bricks.  However, under the assault of his strength, combined with his assistant, that wall began to crack.  Finally, it gave way altogether under their combined assault.

            Godzilla's eyes widened and his pupils dilated.  Slowly, he turned around and actually began to head away from Tokyo 3.  As he lumbered along, Godzilla voiced a weak roar, as if he were somehow confused.  But his course was sure and he strode on without hesitation.

            _It worked!  Ishiro was elated._

            _When we are together, there is nothing we cannot achieve, said the unknown voice sagely._

            _By the way, thought Ishiro, __What name do you go by?_

_            I am known by quite a few names.  But please call me Erika._

_            Erika,_ he wondered, _That's__ a nice name.  It was his final thought before darkness overcame him._

            "The circuits are reconnected," announced a relieved Makoto.

            "How is he?" asked Misato frantically.

            "Pilot Saegusa is unconscious," replied Makoto.

            "What just happened?" asked Misato to no one in particular.

            "I have no idea," said Ritsuko.

            "Godzilla's course has changed," announced Maya, "He is now heading towards Old Tokyo."

            "Begin recovery operations immediately," instructed Misato.

            Both Asuka and Rei watched the proceedings from the pilots' waiting room.  There was an enormous television monitor on the wall.  Asuka was more than a little confused.  Rei's face was impassive as always.

            "I don't get it," muttered Asuka, "What exactly did he do?"  Ishiro's harsh words earlier that day were forgotten as she watched Godzilla moving away from Unit 14, heading for Old Tokyo.

            "I do not understand either," agreed Rei.

            The door opened and Misato came in.  Asuka looked hopefully at her.  Misato only shrugged.  "I have no idea what happened either.  The only thing I can say is that right now, the mission appears to be successful."

            "What is the status of Ishiro?" asked Rei, drawing a stunned look from both Asuka and Misato.

            After a moment, Misato managed a response.  "He's unconscious," she answered, "But we can't figure out what happened to him."

            Rei nodded and turned to look back at the screen.  Misato and Asuka exchanged confused looks again.  Asuka merely shrugged and went out, mumbling something about visiting Shinji.  Misato hesitated for a moment, and then took the chair that Asuka had occupied.

            "Rei?" she asked softly.

            "What is it?" the girl responded dully.

            "Is something going on?" asked Misato quietly, "Something between you and Saegusa?"

            "Ishiro suggested that I try to open myself up more in order to learn what it is to be human," said Rei, "When I heard that I was to pilot Unit 01, I was afraid."  She shuddered.  "I do not like Unit 01 and it does not like me."

            "I see," said Misato, surprised by Rei's earnestness.

            "Ishiro promised me that I would not have to pilot Unit 01.  I worry about him."

            Misato nodded, completely dumbfounded.  She had thought for the longest time that Rei was completely incapable of this kind of interaction.  Yet, here she was, explaining in the same way she talked about everything else, that she cared about someone other than Commander Ikari.  _She cares about Shinji too,_ thought Misato, _But for other reasons._

            Misato gave Rei one last confused look before heading to the infirmary to check on Ishiro's condition.

            "From what we could find out," explained the doctor, "We determined that the cause of his current condition was fatigue."

            "That's strange," remarked Misato, "When we last talked he seemed anything but tired."

            "However," replied the doctor, "That was the only answer we could find."

            Ishiro lay on the bed next to the doctor and Misato, out cold.  He laid facing up, his eyes close.  Heart monitors beeped steadily and his breathing was even.  He seemed merely asleep.  However, his somewhat jarring removal from the entry plug had proved that he was a bit more than asleep.

            "Will he be alright?" asked Misato.

            "He should be ready to return to duty in about five days," said the doctor, "However, in my opinion he should be in here for a little longer than that."

            "I doubt Commander Ikari would allow that," said Misato, "Much less him."  She glanced at Ishiro.

            "I don't think that anyone would be that eager to get back in an Eva," remarked the doctor.

            "It's not that," explained Misato, "He's leading the research on G-cells.  He'll probably want to get back to work on that right away."

            "Oh," said the surprised doctor, "A child prodigy then?"

            "Yeah," said Misato, looking at Ishiro, "You could say that."

            Asuka was visiting Shinji again.  After leaving Misato and Rei, she had changed back into her regular clothes.  She gave Shinji an account of the unusual events that had taken place.  "I'm not so sure about this Saegusa person," she admitted, "He's just so darn complex."

            Shinji nodded, "He seems alright though," he ventured.

            "It's strange," said Asuka, "Some times he's kinder than I ever thought anyone could be.  And other times he's even colder than the Commander."  A slight tear leaked from her eye at the bitter and painfully fresh memory.

            "Did something happen?" asked Shinji, concerned.

            "Uh yeah," said Asuka sheepishly, blinking away tears, "They announced that they were going to put Wondergirl…"

            "Rei," Shinji corrected.

            "Whatever, they were going to put her in Unit 01 if the mission went wrong.  For some reason she looked like she was afraid, so I teased her about it."

            "Did you?"  Shinji knew from experience that Asuka's brand of teasing could be very harsh and painful.

            "Yeah, anyway, I was teasing her about it and Ishiro came along and reminded me of everything I had just been through."  Asuka was close to tears again.

            _He wanted to let you know that you can't always act like you're so superior to everyone, Shinji thought.  Shinji kept quiet about this though, realizing that mentioning this could collapse Asuka's already delicate self-confidence.  Instead, he reached out and took her hand in his.  "Will you be okay?" he asked._

            Asuka sniffed.  "I'm not sure," she confessed, "Things haven't been the same since I've woken up."

            _I'll say, thought Shinji._

            "And I've been having nightmares.  Two nights ago, I woke up screaming and couldn't get back to sleep.  I had another nightmare last night.  I didn't scream that time; I don't think I could've."  Asuka's eyes had taken on a far away look.

            Shinji looked at her, completely baffled.  Asuka continued, "I'm afraid to sleep, afraid to even close my eyes.  I'm just so scared Shinji."  Shinji was taken aback by her sudden earnestness.  It just wasn't like Asuka to talk so freely about her problems.

            "What are these nightmares about?" he asked.

            "I'm not ready to talk about that," said Asuka, looking away, "Not yet."

            "I understand," said Shinji, _A little bit of the old Asuka there._  He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.  "Promise you'll tell me when you're ready."

            "When I'm ready," said Asuka, squeezing his hand back, "You'll be the first person to know."

            They talked for a little while longer.  They talked about little things.  Asuka told him about what was happening at school and how his friends were worried about him.  After a while, Asuka left.  At the door, Asuka hesitated turned around and looked back.  "Oh by the way," she said, "Get well soon if you want to be ready before the class trip."

            "Okay," said Shinji, cheering up considerably.  Shinji's mind began to wander.

            _She's changed so much, he marveled, __she's so different from the conceited girl she used to be.  She's so much more sensitive and caring now.  What happened to her must have changed her a lot.  He frowned.  __Maybe it wasn't just that.  Ishiro must be having an influence on her too.  She's opened up a lot more.  His frown became an amused smile at his next thought.  __And she hasn't used a tenth as much German as she used to.  Not to mention that she hasn't called me baka, idiot, or any of those other names she has for me since she woke up.  I also thought that she would be upset over the fact that they haven't used her yet._

            Shinji decided to sleep on it.  He was getting tired any way.  He laid down, closed his eyes, and slipped away into dreamless oblivion.

            Meanwhile, deep in the ocean, new shadows were stirring.  Slowly, from the darkest shadows of the deepest ocean trench came something new.  Its sinuous form slid effortlessly through the waters, skimming along the ocean's bottom.  Its size was immense.  Yet, despite its massive length, it moved with complete silence through the water.  In fact, as it moved on, everything around it seemed to become smothered by an oppressive silence.  It moved with silent purpose, heading for Tokyo 3.

            In her room, back at Misato's apartment, Asuka tossed and turned in an uneasy sleep.  Her body was covered in cold sweat as she mumbled undecipherable phrases under her breath, trying to dissuade the specters that stalked her every sleeping moment.  As the night grew old, Asuka's struggles became even more frantic.  At one point, she rolled over so hard, that she fell off her bed and landed on the floor with an audible thump.

            The impact was enough to bring her back to the world of the awake.  She gasped for breath, fear having robbed her of it some time ago.  Asuka stared off into space as she considered the images she had been shown through her latest nightmare.  Every time she awoke from one of these dreams, she awoke with the grim certainty that it would not be long before these ominous nightmares became grim reality.

            Asuka hugged her pillow to her chest, afraid to try going back to sleep.  "I wish Shinji were back," she muttered.

            "How's it going?" asked Ritsuko as she walked into the office that commanded a view of the holding cage.  Maya manned one of the many consoles to be found in the room.  Visible through the large windows that dominated one whole wall of the office, was a holding cage containing a badly mangled and burnt body.  It was late at night and Maya was the only other one there.

            "Slowly," said Maya, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

            "It'll be a while before we can get Unit 00 back into anything remotely resembling an Eva, much less combat status," remarked Ritsuko as she looked out the window at the charred husk of the Eva; the remains of Rei's sacrifice.

            "Why don't you go and get some rest?" suggested Ritsuko, resting a hand on Maya's shoulder, "I'll take over for now."

            Maya rubbed her eyes again.  "Thank you," she said softly.  She got up and left.

            Ritsuko took Maya's seat and began looking at the readouts.  "Everything seems normal," she muttered.  She leaned back and sighed.  "This is going to take a long time."

            The sun was just beginning to rise on the eastern horizon.  Godzilla had long since reentered the ocean and was approaching Old Tokyo by sea.  As he came nearer, he began to feel the radiation in the area.  He sensed that his hunger would soon be sated.  Godzilla roared eagerly and increased the speed with which he swam towards the island.  As he did so, he was oblivious to the VTOL craft which followed his every movement from high above.

            The pilot of the craft watched the proceedings with minimal interest.  The only thing he really looked for was any sign that his craft had been spotted by the kaiju below.  He had seen how accurately Godzilla could attack with that energy ray of his and had no wish to experience the results of that accuracy for himself.

            A sudden movement below drew his attention.  At first, his brain screamed a warning that he had been spotted and that he should get the hell out of there.  But then, he noticed that the movement had not come from Godzilla.  It had come from the waters in front of Godzilla.  Godzilla had already reached the flooded portions of Old Tokyo.  However, the water between the sunken skyscrapers was bubbling and frothing madly.  Godzilla growled, conveying obvious curiosity.

            The waters parted, revealing a forest of short (at least by kaiju standards) spikes.  Godzilla stepped back as more of the unknown creature rose from the water.  The water flowed through the spikes, tumbling off the gigantic shell of the new monster to the surface of the ocean below.  The head of the new creature was ringed with spikes that rose straight out behind the skull then bent to point forward.  The creature's nose was capped by a fearsome horn not unlike that of a rhinoceros.  Behind the monster, an equally spiked tail rose and fell, beating the water into a thick foam.  The kaiju rose on four legs, its mouth opening to reveal a row of razor sharp teeth.  The creature roared with a strange barking honk that echoed for miles.

            "I don't believe it," exclaimed the pilot, "I need to contact headquarters immediately."

            "What!?" exclaimed Ritsuko, "Another kaiju!?"

            "That's right," replied Makoto calmly, "Our observer stated that the creature apparently had already taken up residence in Old Tokyo and was there when Godzilla arrived."  He had been working the graveyard shift this night.

            "Get me a visual!" snapped Ritsuko, "Right now.  Call everyone.  We're going to combat status level 1!"

            "Yes ma'am," said Makoto dutifully.

            In the silence of Misato's room in her apartment, the phone began to ring.  The blanket covered form on the futon on the floor next to the phone began to shift and move.  Slowly, awkwardly, a hand reached out from under the sheets and groped blindly for the phone.  After a few seconds of blind reaching, the fingers finally closed on the familiar shape of the telephone.

            "Hello," said Misato, still in most respects asleep.  She listened patiently, almost dozing off again as the voice of Makoto on the other side filled her in.

            "Right," said Misato as he was finishing.  Suddenly, the implications of his information hit her.  "What!?" she bellowed, instantly awake, "You can't be serious."

            She listened for another moment before nodding.  "I'll get her up right away," said Misato.  She hung up.

            She headed for the second child's room.  Misato felt sorry that she had to wake Asuka at such an early hour. She sighed and figured that she'd make it up to the redhead later.

            "Asuka," she said as gently as she could, sliding the door open.

            "Yes?" came a far too awake voice from within.

            Misato slid the door open all the way and looked in the room.  Asuka sat on the bed, her back against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest.  Asuka turned to look at her guardian.  Misato stifled a gasp.

            Asuka looked awful.  There were bags under her eyes from lack of sleep.  The eyes themselves were red and definitely looked tired.  Yet, despite this, the second child looked very much awake and alert.

            Misato regained her composure.  "We're needed at NERV," she said, but she reconsidered, "But you can stay here if you want.  You look tired."

            "I'll go," said Asuka groggily, getting up to get dressed.

            "Asuka, you really shouldn't go if you're this tired," Misato protested.

            "I'm fine okay!" snapped Asuka, "I don't need you to baby me like that baka Shinji!"

            Misato opened her mouth to protest again, but decided against it.  "Alright then," she said, "We'll grab something on the way over.  I hate the cafeteria stuff."

            As she left she heard Asuka mumble, "As bad as the cafeteria food is, it can't hold a candle to your cooking Misato."

            Misato's face assumed an "I'm going to get you for that" look.  She sighed and started off down the hall to get dressed herself.

            In Rei's apartment, the phone rang loudly in the prevalent silence.  Rei picked up the phone.  "Yes," she said blandly into the receiver.  She listened to the voice on the other side.  "I will do as ordered," Rei said blandly.  As she moved to get dressed, Rei felt slightly ashamed that she was already returning to her old habits.  _I must try to understand what it means to be human, she though resolutely.  Had she not been so drowsy from being woken up so early in the morning, she might have been able to stop herself from doing that._

            Her thoughts turned to Ishiro.  She felt so strange.  She had never truly experienced any feelings with regard to anyone except for Shinji and the Commander.  She had come to realize, thanks to the changes she was undergoing, the fact that the Commander was only using her for his own purposes.  Rei was beginning to realize the truth in Asuka's accusations that she was a doll.

            _I am not a doll, thought Rei, _Not anymore.__

            Shinji awoke to the sounds of blaring alarms.  Looking around confusedly, Shinji wondered if they were under attack.  Shinji got off his bed and walked as best he could towards the door.  At his touch, the door slid open and Shinji flagged down a nurse who was rushing past.  "What's going on?" he asked.

            "We're at combat status level 1," replied the nurse hurriedly.  She rushed off down the hall.

            _That doesn't explain much, thought Shinji, _Though why should I care?_  He sighed and shut the door.  Then he hobbled back to his bed and lay down again, trying not to listen to the incessant alarms._

            Godzilla eyed the other creature warily.  The new monster was obviously disturbed by this intrusion upon his territory.  The quadruped roared again and waved his head back and forth, displaying his spikes in the most menacing fashion possible.

            Godzilla was not going to back down from a fight, that much could be seen by anyone observing this confrontation.  Godzilla roared out a challenge to the strange creature.  Godzilla could sense the ambient radiation in the nearby area.  It called to him like a siren.  Nothing, not the humans, not this creature, was going to stand in his way.

            The other creature appeared to share in Godzilla's determination.  With a final barking honk, it surged forward on its four legs, plowing through the water that rose up to the level of its chest.  It lowered its head and charged the much larger monster.  Godzilla held his ground against the oncoming monster.  He was thrown back by the force of the impact as the creature slammed into him.  The other monster didn't hesitate to drive the horn on its nose deep into Godzilla's abdomen.

            Godzilla howled in pain and beat his fists against the creature's back.  His efforts only resulted in injuring himself on the razor sharp spines protruding from the shell.  Godzilla's mouth opened as his spines flared with blue-white energy.  An instant later, Godzilla's powerful heat beam streamed down to impact his opponent's back.

            The force of the attack dislodged the monster's horn.  The creature backed away, growling cautiously.  Vaporized seawater streamed up from its back.  However, it was completely unhurt by the attack.  The beam had been repelled all too easily by the monster's hard shell.  The monster roared again and charged a second time.  This time, Godzilla charged forward as well, not waiting for the strange new monster to meet him.

            The two monsters clashed a second time.  This time, Godzilla began to force his adversary back, driving them up and onto dry land.  His adversary reared up on his hind legs to sink his teeth into one of Godzilla's flailing arms.  His fore claws pawed at Godzilla's chest, carving out deep chunks which were quickly replaced by Godzilla's regeneration.  The two monsters continued to battle.

            "Thank you all for coming on such short notice," said Ritsuko as calmly as she could.  Before her on the bridge stood several members of NERV's higher ranked staff.  All of them were in various states of half-wakefulness.  All except Commander Ikari, of course.  Ritsuko had to wonder if the man actually needed to sleep.

            "What's happening?" asked Asuka, stifling a yawn while forcing down the breakfast she and Misato had bought on the way in.  Ritsuko had to agree with Misato that the second child looked absolutely awful.

            "About thirty minutes ago, Godzilla entered the boundaries of Old Tokyo.  However, upon entering he was confronted by none other than another kaiju."  Silence greeted this statement.  An image appeared, hovering over the vast space in the command center.  It showed a visual of Godzilla and the second kaiju, engaged in fierce battle.

            "They have been fighting nonstop the whole time," stated Ritsuko.

            "How does this concern us?" asked Misato, awake, but realizing that there was little danger.  What frightened her was the fact that this kaiju had been right under our noses.  _I was in Old __Tokyo__ for the Jet Alone test, she realized.  __What if the monster had attacked during the test?  The result could have been disastrous for everyone involved._

            "We do not know how this situation might conclude.  If this new monster succeeds in driving Godzilla away, he might head back towards Tokyo 3," replied Ritsuko.

            "Oh," was all that Misato could say.  The implications of Ritsuko's statement hit home.  _We only have two people who can pilot,_ she thought.  _And Asuka would never do any good like that,_ she mentally added, looking at the exhausted and disheveled girl.

            "Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll kill each other," suggested Shigeru.

            "That is a possibility," replied Ritsuko, "Though I wouldn't count on it."  She sighed and returned her attention to the main screen.  "The only thing we can do is watch this play out."  _And hope this isn't over before our resident 'kaijuologist' can figure out what the hell is going on here.  Of course, that is assuming if he ever regains consciousness._

            "In the meantime," said Misato, raising her hand like a timid schoolgirl, "Can we get some rest, we NERV personnel do need our beauty sleep you know?"

            "Anyone who wants to may rest in quarters provided here in Central Dogma," replied Ritsuko, "You will be summoned if anything develops."

            "By the way," said Misato, on her way out, "Has this other monster been given a name?"

            "It has," replied Ritsuko, "We have decided to call it Anguirus 

            The two monsters grappled with one another, each battling fiercely.  Back and forth they struggled, one gaining the advantage, only to lose it a moment later.  The hollow shells of the few remaining buildings were crushed into dust as the monster slammed their bulks against them.  Anguirus reared up and tried to clamp his fanged maw around Godzilla's throat.  Godzilla retaliated by trying to smash his opponent's head down, only to gash his hand on the forward pointing spikes arranged around the creature's crown.

            Then, to the surprise of those watching, Anguirus seemed to lose heart and back away from Godzilla.  The creature scrambled backwards and honked at Godzilla from a respectable distance.  Godzilla roared back.  His spines flared and his jaws opened.  With speed that belied his size, the other kaiju spun around and faced away from his adversary.  Godzilla's radioactive fire was harmlessly dissipated by Anguirus's thick shell.

            Anguirus turned his position into an opportunity to launch a counterattack.  Anguirus launched himself backwards with a flying leap.  His spiked back slammed into Godzilla's chest, knocking the monster backwards and badly goring him.  Godzilla stumbled backwards, tripping and toppling onto another abandoned building, crushing it.

            Not slowing down, Anguirus scrambled forward and clamped his jaws on Godzilla's thrashing tail.  Anguirus tugged on the appendage and tried to drag Godzilla backwards.  The monster retaliated by kicking out with his foot.  His foot connected with the tip of Anguirus's snout, just missing slashing it on Anguirus's nasal horn.  

            Anguirus honked and released the tail of his opponent.  He spun around and slammed his spiked tail into Godzilla's flank.  Godzilla shrieked with pain, but rolled to his feet and attacked with another atomic ray.  Once again it was turned aside by Anguirus's hard shell.  Anguirus slammed his tail into Godzilla's ankles.  Godzilla barely avoided being knocked off his feet a second time.

            Godzilla roared and charged forward.  Anguirus met his charge head on.  The ground shook as the two creatures smashed their bulk together yet another time.  Anguirus mustered his strength and knocked Godzilla off his feet again.  Anguirus clambered on top of the fallen beast, his jaws seeking Godzilla's throat.  A blast of blue light emanating from Godzilla's body culminated in a powerful explosion.  The explosion severely burned Anguirus's soft and vulnerable underbelly while at the same time throwing the monster completely off him.

            Anguirus was knocked airborne by the force of the nuclear pulse, his underbelly smoking from the intense heat.  Godzilla got back onto his feet and roared.  Anguirus landed on his spiked shell.  The creature struggled madly to right himself, but to little avail.  Godzilla approached.  Stopping just short of Anguirus's madly lashing tail Godzilla unleashed the full force of his atomic ray onto Anguirus's stomach.  Anguirus screamed with pain.

            Anguirus writhed in agony under the searing ray of energy.  When Godzilla ended his attack and closed his mouth, Anguirus remained still.  Curious to see if he had really won, Godzilla leaned in to get a closer look at the turtle-like monster.  As he moved closer and the smell of scorched flesh reached his nostrils, the monster's lips curled back in a snarl of curiosity.  Then, Anguirus's tail sprang to life, whipping upwards with incredible speed and force, slamming its many spikes into Godzilla's chin in a brutal uppercut.  Godzilla's head snapped back and the leviathan was thrown completely over onto his back by the impact.

            Anguirus rolled over and got his feet back under him.  Then he charged at Godzilla, this time, bypassing the bulk of Godzilla's body and going straight for the throat.  Anguirus's jaws, lined with razor sharp teeth with an alligator-like grip, clamped down on Godzilla's exposed neck.  Anguirus twisted mightily in an attempt to rip out his adversary's throat.  Godzilla shrieked, or would have had not his windpipe been closed by the unbelievable pressure of Anguirus's mouth, possessing strength that could never have been matched by any Eva.  Godzilla's spines flared and his mouth opened, but the few radioactive flames that made it through his constricted windpipe sputtered and died mere meters from his mouth.  Godzilla tried again and met with the same result.  In the meantime, he could feel Anguirus making headway in his battle to completely remove the passage altogether.

            Desperate for release, but unable to summon the energy for another nuclear pulse, Godzilla took the only avenue open to him.  Reaching with his forepaws, he wrapped his right one around Anguirus's snout and the other around his lower jaw.  Using all the strength remaining in him, Godzilla struggled to pull the vice-like grip apart.  For his part, Anguirus simply tried stubbornly to keep his mouth closed while continuing to attempt to remove Godzilla's throat.  Then, slowly, Anguirus's jaws at last began to part.  With a gasping roar of exultation and a final mighty wrench that nearly finished the work of Anguirus's jaws for him, the King of the Monsters ripped Anguirus's mouth off his neck.

            Godzilla inhaled mightily, but did not release his hold on Anguirus's head, though the other monster thrashed madly to escape.  Instead, Godzilla shifted his forepaws into his opponent's mouth for a better grip, ignoring the pain as razor sharp teeth dug into the pads of his forepaws.  Then, Godzilla began to pull even harder, forcing Anguirus's yawning maw open even farther.  Soon, the pressure began to strain the hinges of the armored creature's jaw.

            However, Godzilla was not simply content to rip off Anguirus's jaw as Anguirus had nearly done with his throat.  Using all his strength, Godzilla forced Anguirus's mouth in line with his own.  Then, with spines flashing Godzilla unleashed the full force of the atomic beam that had been trapped within him by his throttling, straight down Anguirus's throat.

            However, the attack soon seemed to be counterproductive.  Instead of weakening under the onslaught, the pain seemed to drive Anguirus into an insane frenzy.  His mighty spiked tail beat a furious tempo against Godzilla's flank, ripping out tremendous chunks of flesh with each blow.  He threw his weight against his still sitting opponent, knocking him almost back to a laying position while smashing his forepaws against Godzilla's chest, which echoed with the muffled snapping of breaking ribs.  Blood began to fleck the corners of Godzilla's mouth and his atomic ray nearly turned into an atomic gurgle as one of his lungs punctured, threatening to send a rush of blood up his throat instead of fire.  But Godzilla continued his assault, poring every last ounce of energy he had into his atomic ray.

            Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Anguirus's struggles began to weaken and his movements began to grow sluggish.  Finally, the beast's eyes closed and his body went limp.  The smell of cooked innards wafting out of every opening not currently plugged with plasma.  Godzilla's ray sputtered and died and the King of the Monsters knew he had nothing left to give.  But the battle was over and the creature known as Anguirus lay quite dead at his feet.  Forcing himself to stand, Godzilla opened his jaws and voiced a mighty roar over the silent towers of Old Tokyo.

            Maya finally uncovered her eyes to look at the gruesome scene being shone on screen in the command center.  "That was awful," she moaned, holding back the rising bile in her throat.

            "It wasn't a pretty way to go," agreed Ritsuko.

            "That Anguirus creature sure put up one hell of a fight," commented Shigeru.  The other's nodded.  Even Godzilla's fantastic regenerative abilities had been pushed to their limits in the titanic battle.  However, they were glad that Anguirus was gone from the world of the living as it gave them one less thing to worry about.

            Even as the relieved techs at NERV watched the defeat of Anguirus, they failed to notice the menace that had arrived on their own shores.  The waters of the harbor in the Tokyo 3 harbor were calm that day.  There was no wind to ruffle the low waves that were simply a result of the world's tidal patterns, which remained unchanged, even by the violence of Second Impact.

            The day was young, yet already the docks at the edge of the city were already bustling as men and women went about their tasks for that day.  Fishers readied their boats to go trawling for the day's catch.  Cargo ships loaded up the last of their shipments.  Battleships, destroyers, carriers all prepared for another day of patrolling the high seas, looking for threats to their all-important homeland.  But already, it was too little too late.

            At the very entrance to the harbor, where it opened up into the Sea of Japan, the waters parted as the massive head of a traditional Asian dragon broke the surface.  It was covered in dull grey scales and crowned by horns with a fringe of hair.  Antenna-like tendrils extended from its nostrils.  They waved around in the air, seeming to writhe and twist of their own volition.

            The monster's head reared up on its long, serpentine neck to survey its surroundings.  Confident that the humans had not yet seen it and in fact remained oblivious to its presence, it hissed with satisfaction and slipped beneath the waves again.  Not even a ripple remained to mark its passing.

  


Author's note: This chapter is a little different from my original idea.  Originally, I had wanted the battle to end with Anguirus being driven from Old Tokyo and into the sea; partly so that I could use him for later chapters and partly because I was sympathetic towards this particular monster who had always been one of my favorites.  However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that there was no way I could use Anguirus in my plans for the story past this point, so I had Anguirus go out in spectacular fashion, showcasing the same fighting spirit that endeared him to so many G-fans.  This chapter pays homage to our favorite spiky quadruped of all time.


	6. The First Messenger: Messenger of the Se...

Disclaimer: You know the drill by now.

**Chapter 6:** The First Messenger: Messenger of the Sea

            Asuka looked awful.  Shinji marveled that the girl was still conscious, much less standing in front of him this very moment.  Her eyes were red with bags under them, suggesting that she had not slept in a very long time.  Shinji was horrified by the change that had come over the normally fiery young woman.  She looked ready to drop at any second.

            "Are you feeling alright?" he asked gently, automatically recoiling, thinking that he was about to get a famous Soryu explosion.

            Asuka scowled and looked like she was just about to do that.  But her expression softened.  "I-I'm fine," she said quietly, before entering into the apartment.  Shinji had just been released from the infirmary only an hour earlier after a final exam conducted by the doctor.  Shinji wasted no time getting into some fresh clothes and riding home with Misato.  Asuka was already at home after Misato had sent her back to try and get some sleep.  From her appearance, it was obvious that Asuka had not done that.  After dropping Shinji off at the base of the building, Misato had driven back to NERV as she was still on duty.

            Shinji entered the apartment and sat down on the living room couch.  Asuka sat down next to him, so close that they were almost touching.  Shinji blushed slightly at this but Asuka was too tired to notice.

            The quiet of the apartment was broken by an eager squawk as Pen Pen rushed into the room.  He squawked rapidly and loudly, standing in front of the two children on the low table in front of the couch, flapping his wings up and down.  Pen Pen was the most expressive penguin in the entire world and Shinji could see the relief evident in the penguin's face.  _No doubt because he's already weathered several of Misato's attempts at cooking._  
            Shinji laughed at the warm water penguin's antics and Asuka let out a small chuckle.  Shinji carefully moved Pen Pen off of the table and took the remote.  He handed it to Asuka.  Asuka nodded in thanks and hit the power button.

            The TV came on, but all they got was static.  Asuka growled and changed the channel.  More static.  She tried changing the channel again.  Still more static.  Asuka snapped off a couple of curses in German and shut the TV off.

            They sat in silence for what seemed like a few moments.  When Shinji checked the clock, he realized that it was almost dinner time.  "What would you like for dinner?" he asked Asuka.

            Asuka merely shrugged.  "Anything's fine with me," she said somberly.  Shinji thought about asking her if she felt okay again, but thought better of it.  _I'd better not push to hard if I want to leave this room with all my limbs intact._

            Shinji went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.  He was amazed to find that there was almost nothing in there.  Understanding dawned on him.  When he was around, Shinji always took care of things like cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, and other chores.  In fact, Shinji was pretty much the only person who ever did any chores around the house.  Misato, more often enough, was either too tired or too drunk to do her share of the chores.  And before she had fallen into that coma, Asuka had always bullied him into doing her share as well.

            It made sense that without him here to take care of things, the apartment would go into decline.  The refrigerator was virtually empty.  Even the beer was almost gone.  Misato was notorious for her drinking habits.  They were so well known in fact, that Shinji was the only person under the legal drinking age who could walk into a liquor store and purchase several cases of Misato's favorite Yebisu beer without having to produce an ID.

            There was nothing Shinji could work with tonight.  He thought about asking Asuka if she wanted takeout, but he realized that in her current state, he would probably get the same answer as before.  Shinji picked up the phone and was about to dial the number for Asuka's favorite takeout restaurant when he realized that there was no dial tone.  The phone line was completely dead.

            Shinji shrugged and went into his room to collect his mobile phone.  He picked up the phone and dialed the number.  Putting the phone to his ear, Shinji realized that that phone was dead as well.  Shinji stood for a moment, at a complete loss.  This wasn't natural.  It would have been understandable if the phone line was dead, but a mobile shouldn't have failed as well.

            Shinji shrugged and decided to leave the problem for another day.  He walked to the closet by the door and grabbed his jacket.  He had realized that it was going to get a little chilly that night.  "I'm going to get something for dinner," he shouted down the hall to Asuka.  He got his wallet from his room, including the NERV debit card that was carried by all NERV employees.  Shinji rarely used his for anything outside of buying the groceries and beer for Misato.  Asuka was another story however.  She had been known to blow almost her entire account for the month (they were given a certain allotment of money over monthly period) in grandiose one day shopping excursions.  After spending all her money, she simply leeched off Shinji to get what she needed.  Surprisingly, despite her passion for drinking, Misato rarely used her card as it was Shinji who took care of supplying everything for them.

            Shinji opened the door and left the apartment, closing the door behind him, and made his way to the elevator.  He took it down to the bottom and walked to the restaurant that Shinji knew Asuka liked the most.  He realized that she was having a hard time, having just woken up from her coma only to have a series of nightmares so awful that sleep eluded her completely and wanted to do something to cheer her up.

            The place was a fair distance away, but Shinji felt up to the walk despite his extended stay in the hospital.  Shinji made it there easily.  Entering the door, he was nearly knocked over by someone who was just leaving.

            "Watch where you're going," the person snapped.  However, when he saw who Shinji was, he backed away.  Shinji realized that he had just bumped into none other than Touji Suzahara.

            "So you're finally out," exclaimed the elated boy.  He wasted no time clapping Shinji on what he hoped was his good shoulder.  He was elated to see that Shinji didn't seem to react in any way other than his characteristic wince.  "Whatcha doing here?" asked Touji curiously.

            "I'm getting dinner," said Shinji, "The phones were down for some reason so I had to come and get it myself."

            "It'd be just like the Devil to send you to do the work even though you just got out of the hospital," growled Touji, using his and Kensuke's derogatory name for Asuka.

            "It's not like that," Shinji protested in Asuka's defense, "She hasn't been sleeping well lately and she's real tired."

            "Yeah right," scoffed Touji, "I bet she's doing it so you'll feel sorry for her."

            "Think Touji," said Shinji icily, "Is that like Asuka at all."

            Touji thought about it for a moment and realized that Shinji was right.  Asuka was more likely to use intimidation and brute force than deception.  "I guess not," he replied.

            "Please don't tease her about it at school tomorrow," begged Shinji, "She's feeling absolutely awful right now.  She hasn't slept for at least five days straight now."

            "Damn," Touji yelped, "What kind of coffee is that woman drinking."

            "Enough about Asuka," said Shinji, "What are you doing here?"

            "Strange as it may sound Shinji, all the phones at my place went dead too.  Not only that, but the TV's on the fritz and I can't get on the Internet with my computer."  Touji nodded at the restaurant counter.  "I tried to call this place but I couldn't reach them.  So I had to come out here myself."  He held up the box containing his meal to confirm his story.  Shinji nodded.  Something strange was indeed going on.

***

            In NERV, similar problems were occurring.  "We've lost all communications with the surface!" exclaimed Maya.

            "What do you mean?" demanded Misato.

            "Phones, cameras, radar, everything," replied Makoto, "It all just went down."

            "What about communications within headquarters?" asked Ritsuko.

            "Still operating okay," answered Shigeru.

            "What on Earth is going on?" wondered Misato.

***

            The problem was much bigger than it seemed.  At that moment, in the city above, every form of communication save human speech ceased to function.  Radios stopped playing.  Television stations went off the air.  Phones went dead.  At the airport, radar went blank.  Cameras turned off.  Tokyo 3 was shut off from the rest of the world and sections of the city were shut off from one another.  Dozens of people died from accidents and injuries that could have been treated because help couldn't be summoned.  Tokyo 3 had gone silent.

***

            Shinji was oblivious to this as he sat across from Asuka.  They were both eating their respective dinners.  Asuka seemed to appreciate that Shinji had gone out of his way to get her favorite dish from her favorite restaurant.  She remained silent and pensive though.  Shinji didn't try to force her into any conversation.

            After dinner, Shinji cleared away the dishes, leaving out one plat and a set of utensils along with Misato's food.  She had not yet come back from NERV.  Shinji yawned.  It had been a long day and he was eager to get to bed.  He brushed his teeth and took care of his other hygienic needs before going into his room and changing into his sleeping attire.

            Shinji lay down on his futon and was about to go to sleep when there was a timid knock on his door.  "Come in," he said.

            The door slid open to reveal Asuka.  Shinji was surprised, not by the fact that she was there, but by the fact that she had knocked and waited for him to answer.  Normally, Asuka would have simply thrown open the door and barged in.  "Can I sleep in here?"  Asuka's request caught Shinji completely off guard.

            "B-but-but," he stuttered, for a moment, unsure of her actual intentions.

            "Please Shinji," she begged, "I don't want to be alone."  She didn't call him baka, she didn't demand, she didn't shout or yell.  She simply pleaded.  The look on her face told Shinji how much she needed this.

            "Yes," he replied after a moment's hesitation.  Moving to his closet, he pulled out all the spare blankets and pillows he could, making up and makeshift futon on the floor next to his.  Asuka got into the makeshift bed and Shinji got back into his own.  For a while, they lay awake, neither feeling quite ready to go to sleep, each for their own reasons.  Asuka was still afraid to try sleeping while Shinji was too worried about Asuka to go to sleep.

            Finally, Asuka closed her eyes and drifted off.  Shinji continued to lay awake, listening to the sound of her breathing.  It quickly went from soft and rhythmic to short and ragged.  Asuka began to whimper in her sleep, like she was beset by some unseen horror.  Shinji reached out with his hand and brushed it against her cheek.  Asuka seemed to calm down.  Shinji took her hand in his.  Asuka relaxed completely and her breathing slowed.  Shinji fell asleep holding her hand.  The two children slept peacefully through the night, drawing off the mutual comfort of their proximity to each other.

            Misato came home very late that night.  She was about to enter into her own room when she happened to look into Shinji's room.  She was surprised to see Asuka sleeping on a makeshift futon on her floor her hand held by Shinji on his own bed.  However, Misato realized there was nothing vulgar about this and was pleased to see that being in Shinji's company seemed to have allowed the girl to get some much needed rest.

            Misato stumbled into her own room and immediately crawled under the covers of her futon, pulling them over head to protect against the soon to be rising sun.  As the three occupants of the apartment slept on, they were unaware of the events that would soon be unfolding not very far away.

            The sun rose on Tokyo 3, seeming to smile on the city that had weathered so many terrible events.  The city had stood against threats that should have leveled it several times over.  It had survived the Angels, the fierce battles both within and without and only recently had survived not one, but two incursions by the kaiju known as Godzilla.  However, another storm was about to break over the city.  This storm was a silent one, and no one could have ever seen it coming.

***

            Dock workers screamed and yelled in horror as the massive head broke the surface of the water.  They scattered in all directions.  A few were so blinded with fear that they leapt from the docks without hesitation.  A security officer pulled out his weapon and emptied an entire clip into the beast's head.  It didn't even notice the tiny bullets as they bounced off its impenetrably armored scales.

            The security officer gave up on his weapon and ran for the nearest phone.  He pulled the phone of the hook and frantically dialed the number that would put him in touch with NERV.  To his horror, the phone was silent, as if it were being jammed.  Looking back, the man managed a strangled scream before he and the booth he was in were flattened by the creature's immense bulk as it heaved itself up onto dry land on four stubby legs and crawled forward.

            The monster was a traditional Asian dragon.  Normally, such creatures were considered to be symbols of wisdom and portents of good luck, but one look at this creature's malevolent eyes was enough to tell any observer that he was less than benign.  The dragon blinked in the morning light and continued to half slither, half crawl his way out of the water.

            The dragon did not hesitate to plow through several low buildings that lined the docks district.  Dozens of people were injured and killed as the buildings crumbled.  Others were crushed under the serpentine creature's tread.  After coming out of the docks district, the dragon made his way through the streets of ocean-side Tokyo 3.  However, its destination was clear.  It was heading towards the heart of the city and there was no way to warn anyone about it.

***

            "Any luck with communications?" asked Ritsuko, looking over Maya's shoulder.

            "I'm afraid not," replied Maya, "We've still got silence up above us.  What's more, our sources say that some of the upper levels of headquarters have gone silent as well."

            "So the area of effect is increasing," supposed Ritsuko.

            "Or moving," added Maya.

            "Something strange is going on up there," stated Ritsuko.

***

            Shinji got up to make breakfast and nearly tripped over Asuka on his way out of his room.  He looked down at her peaceful face, glad that she had at least gotten one chance to get a good night's sleep.  He left his room as quietly as he could and after going to the bathroom and changing, went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

            In the kitchen, Shinji was greeted by an irate and very loud penguin.  Pen Pen was squawking at the top of his lungs, waving his flippers wildly.  Obviously he was more than eager to have one of Shinji's good home cooked meals.  Having suffered through Misato's attempts at cooking for most of his life, the penguin was always eager to let Shinji do the cooking.

            "Alright Pen Pen," said an exasperated Shinji.  He reached into the refrigerator and got out some fresh fish for the warm water bird.  He placed them in a bowl and continued his work on breakfast.

            Asuka came into the kitchen, yawning and stretching.  "Good morning Asuka," said Shinji.

            "Whatever," grumbled Asuka.  Shinji was slightly relieved.  Asuka never had been a morning person.  This meant that she had slept well last night.

            Asuka sat down at the table and waited for Shinji to finish fixing breakfast.  Five minutes later, a short stack of pancakes sat on a plate in front of Asuka, not a normal Japanese breakfast, but one that suited her just fine.  While she ate, Shinji put together their lunches for school.  After taking care of that, Shinji fixed some toast for himself.  He gobbled it down as fast as he could manage because he was always on the cusp of having to run to school.

            Shinji finished his breakfast and picked up his backpack.  Before he could make another move, Asuka had grabbed him by the wrist and was yanking him out the door.  She took off at a run, literally dragging him behind her.  As usual, they had to race to get to school on time.

            As she pulled him along, Asuka came to sudden stop.  Shinji narrowly avoided slamming into her back as he stumbled forward.  "What's going on?" he asked, wondering why Asuka had stopped so suddenly.

            "Look," Asuka commanded.  Shinji did look.  There was some sort of fire in the docks district.  A large, thick plume of smoke rose over the section of the city.  From where they were, the two children could hear the distant sound of screams.

            "I wonder what's going on," said Asuka.

            "We'd better hurry up and get to school," remarked Shinji, looking at his watch, "Or we'll be late."

            "Just a moment Shinji," said Asuka, holding his wrist tighter now, "I have a bad feeling about this."

            "Do you have any idea of how cliché that is?" mumbled Shinji.

            Asuka didn't respond to his comment.  She simply stared in the direction of the smoke that rose over the city's skyscrapers.  As she watched, one of those skyscrapers began to sway.  To her horror, something long and sinuous slowly climbed up around the tower.  The monster wrapped its length around the building, applying pressure with its muscular coils.  The skyscraper's swaying began to increase and worsen.  Finally, the dragon crushed the building in its coils, sending the whole thing falling to the streets below.  The dragon himself hit the ground with an earthshaking crash.  The impact didn't even daze him as he began to make his way towards another building.

            Asuka finally managed to tear her gaze away from the terrible spectacle.  She began to yank Shinji in the other direction, towards the nearest personnel elevator to the lower levels of NERV.  Without hesitation, Asuka swiped her access card through the reader.  The door opened and she went in, pulling Shinji in behind her.

            "Why weren't any of the sirens going off?" wondered Shinji aloud.

            "Ask questions later," snapped Asuka.

            A few minutes later, they arrived in the Command Center.  Maya and Ritsuko looked up from their work.  The rest of the Command Center was empty.  Makoto and Shigeru had not yet reported in.  "Asuka, Shinji," said Ritsuko, "Shouldn't you two be at school."

            "What do you mean school?" Asuka nearly screamed, "There's a monster rampaging through the middle of the city."

            "What?" exclaimed Ritsuko, "That's impossible.  We would have known if…"  Her eyes widened.  "The communications with the surface are down.  Of course we didn't hear anything about this."

            "Do you think that it is possible that the monster is the cause of the communications blackout?" ventured Maya.

            "It's possible," replied Ritsuko, "How could it be doing this though?  Our sensors didn't pick up any signs of an electromagnetic pulse or anything along those lines.  Also, it's only affecting our means of human communication and nothing else."

            "Do you think we could theorize about this later," snapped Asuka, "In case you haven't noticed, the monster up there is wrecking the city and we aren't doing anything about it."

            "Alright," said Ritsuko, "You two get to your Evas and we'll launch right away."

            Asuka and Shinji scrambled off the bridge towards the holding cages.  After they left, Maya turned to Ritsuko.  "How are we going to coordinate their attack if we can't contact them once we reach the surface?"

            "We'll just have to play it by ear," responded Ritsuko.

***

            "How are we going to do this?" asked Shinji as they ran for the changing rooms.

            "We'll just have to improvise dummkopf," retorted Asuka.

            Shinji nearly grinned.  Asuka was almost back to her old self.  He was actually glad to hear her calling him names again.  It was just like old times.

***

            "So," muttered Gendo, "A new creature has appeared."

            "And this one has caused a communications blackout across Tokyo 3," added Kozou.

            "I wonder what the cause of this sudden wave of monsters could be," said Ikari in a low voice.

            "We shall have to leave that to our kaijuologist," said Fuyutsuki, "When he wakes up."

***

            In the medical wing of NERV headquarters, Ishiro Saegusa slept, seemingly oblivious to the events taking place around him.  His body lay motionless, as if he were dead.  Only the steady beeping of his heart monitors indicated that he was still alive at all.  The door to his room opened softly and Rei stepped in, closing the door behind her.

            She walked over to Ishiro's bedside.  Looking down at him uncertainly for a moment, Rei took Ishiro's hand in hers and held it.  As she watched his chest slowly rise and fall, she remembered everything he had said to her.  For some reason, she had felt compelled to act on his suggestions and indeed open up more.  To Rei, it was an ongoing experiment of what it was like to be human.

            Rei had instinctively sensed that Gendo Ikari should not know anything about this.  Since the day of her original incarnation, she had been carefully trained not to show much emotion.  She had been conditioned to obey the orders of the Commander without question.  In other words, she had been made into a doll.

            That had started to change when Shinji arrived.  At first, she was confused by Shinji's way of interacting with her.  He had treated her like a human being.  When Unit 00 had been badly damaged in the attack on the 5th Angel, Shinji had ripped open the white hot emergency hatch of the entry plug without a second thought.  He hadn't treated her like she was expendable.  He had done everything in his power to try and save her.

            After she had given up her second body to save Shinji from the sixteenth Angel, she had told Shinji part of the truth about her nature.  He had been disturbed and frightened to be sure.  However, now Rei understood why he had felt so badly.  He was sad to see that she only saw her self as expendable, simply one of many copies.  Shinji was saddened because he knew that she didn't see herself as an individual, unique with every right to live that he had.

            Now Rei looked at Ishiro's still form, realizing that Ishiro was showing her the way to understanding why Shinji cared so much for her.  Ishiro had shown the same care and concern for her that Shinji had.  He also understood that it was difficult for her to understand why she was so important in the lives of these people, so he had taken steps to help her realize her own importance.

            Rei reached out with her free hand and brushed it against Ishiro's cheek.  She moved it up and brushed a few errant strands of hair out of his face.  "Thank you Ishiro," she whispered.  As she stood up to leave, Rei realized that Ishiro was smiling.

            The peace of the moment was shattered by the wailing of sirens.  The city was under attack.  Instinctively, Rei rushed towards the holding cages.

***

            Misato was fast asleep, the sheets of her futon pulled over her head to block out the morning light.  To her, this was a familiar situation.  She had pulled many late nights during her tenure at NERV and she was used to sleeping like this.  Misato was also no stranger to rude awakenings, so when she heard the Angel alert siren, she threw off the covers immediately and started to get dressed for work.

            Misato rushed out of her apartment and onto the walkway to the elevator.  Looking over at the city, she saw the cause of the siren.  She gasped when she saw the massive form of an Asian dragon coiled about one of Tokyo 3's many skyscrapers.  Misato was more surprised about the fact that the skyscrapers had not yet been lowered into attack position.  As she watched, the dragon crushed the building in its coils and dropped to the streets below.  Finally, the remaining buildings dropped out of sight.  Confused, the monster looked around, trying to discern where its intended targets had disappeared to.

            He looked in Misato's direction.  Her breath caught in her throat when she met the creature's eyes.  When Misato had looked into Godzilla's eyes during the Evas' battle with him, she had noticed a feral intelligence gleaming within those eyes.  However, the eyes of the dragon also showed intelligence.  And this one was anything but feral.  Indeed, there was something very alien about this creature's intelligence.

            Misato stood where she was, rooted to the spot by the creature's gaze.  The monster seemed to know she was watching and did not turn his eyes away from her.  The tendrils extending from his nostrils waved slowly in the air, somehow conveying a sense of curiosity.  Misato knew there was much more to this creature than the obvious.  _This thing isn't anything like Godzilla,_ was her initial thought.

***

            "Releasing primary bolts for Eva Unit 01," announced Maya.  Seconds later she got a verbal confirmation from Shinji.  "Begin activation sequence."  Maya turned her attention to Unit 02 and went over the same procedure.

            Ritsuko peered over her shoulder intently at the readings.  "It looks like we'll lose contact with the Evas the instant they reach the surface," she observed.  Maya nodded in agreement.

            "Units 01 and 02 are in position for launch," announced an observer from the launch area.

            "Launch paths are clear," said Maya.

            "Roger," replied Ritsuko, "Launch Evas!"

            The Evas were launched immediately.  They raced up the launch tracks towards there battle with the unknown beast above.

            Misato knew that she was needed at NERV; however, she couldn't stop watching the dragon as it moved from the city.  As it slithered through the streets, it came to a stop at a very familiar landmark; one of the many elevator doors throughout the city, the same doors through which the Evangelions came when they were launched.  Finally, Misato understood.  The dragon was trying to get into Central, maybe even Terminal Dogma.

            "I've got to tell Ritsuko," she muttered as she rushed towards the elevator.

            It was obvious that Ritsuko already knew, as two sets of elevator doors were already opening.  The dragon hissed curiously, looking in the direction of the opening doors.  Then, the creature lowered itself to the ground as close as it could get.  Its scales, which at the time had been a dull grey, seemed to shift in color.  After a moment, the dragon became virtually invisible.

            "It can camouflage with its surroundings," gasped Misato.  She felt worry fill her and calm after a moment.  The Evas were equipped with infrared equipment, they would be fine.

***

            Asuka looked around as soon as her Eva rose above the surface.  "I don't see it Shinji.  Do you?"  She got no response from her fellow pilot.  "Shinji?"  She saw that Unit 01 was not far from her position.  It was motionless.  "Baka answer me!"  She couldn't understand why Shinji was ignoring her like this.  Then she realized the answer.  He hadn't even heard her.  _All communications are down._

***

            In his own Eva, Shinji was desperately trying to reach Asuka.  However, he was having much the same result.  "We can't talk," he said aloud.  Looking around the horizon, Shinji could see no sign of the dragon.  No sign except the shattered structures it had left in its wake.  How many buildings had it crushed while they were still getting their Evas ready to launch?  How many lives had it ended?

            Shinji switched the Eva's scanners over to infrared.  Looking around, he still saw no sign of the creature.  _Where could it have gone?_  He noticed that Asuka was also looking for the monster.  The Eva's head rotated, mimicking Shinji's movements inside the cockpit.  _We have to find that thing before it hurts anyone else._

***

            Misato watched the unfolding conflict.  It was apparent that the Evas still had not spotted the dragon.  _Can't they see it? she wondered, __They must have looked in its direction half a dozen times now.  But the Evas continued to seem to remain oblivious to the monster's presence.  Misato, having spotted it while it had been camouflaging itself, knew what to look for in order to find it._

            The dragon was now slowly moving towards Unit 01.  Despite its enormous size, it didn't make a sound.  As it slid forward, it seemed careful not to step on or overturn parked cars or knock down lampposts.  It moved through the cluttered city streets the came way a predator would move over the forest floor, trying to avoid stepping upon dry leaves in order to remain hidden.

***

            Shinji was getting very worried.  The monster couldn't have left.  It had to be in the city somewhere.  He was at a loss to understand how such a creature could hide so effectively.

            A movement off to the Eva's left caught his eye.  Turning, he saw the dragon's head rising above the city streets.  It cleared the level of the buildings, its scales reverting back to their natural grey color.  _So it's like a chameleon,_ he realized.  Unit 01 turned to face the monster as it rose to meet the Eva.

            Shinji's eyes met the eyes of the dragon.  The creature swayed back and forth, a rhythmic motion.  Shinji found his eyes locked with the dragon's.  He couldn't look away.  He felt his hands release their grip on the controls and fall motionless at his sides, but he couldn't bring himself to even try and move them.  The dragon's eyes dominated him.  He was powerless to resist.

***

            Asuka saw Unit 01 turn around.  She turned her own Eva to look at what Shinji was seeing.  She too saw the dragon rise from between the low buildings, its head attached to a long serpentine neck that elevated it above the rooftops.  She watched as it began to sway hypnotically back and forth.  The Eva's movements showed that Shinji's eyes were locked on the dragon's from the way that the Eva's head turned to match the dragon's swaying exactly.

            _Is Shinji being hypnotized? wondered Asuka._

            The dragon's swaying stopped.  Slowly, it began to move closer to the silent Eva.  Unit 01 made no attempt to ward off the creature's slow advance.  It simply stared straight into the dragon's eyes.  The dragon itself was careful not to break eye contact.

            "Shinji move!" screamed Asuka.  She threw her Eva into motion, but it was already too late.  With speed that belied its size, the dragon threw its serpentine coils around the Eva and began to squeeze.  However, this movement broke the dragon's eye contact with the Eva.  Unit 01 began to struggle against the coils that held it immobile.

            The dragon would have none of it.  As Unit 01 struggled futilely to break its grip, the coils began to tighten.  Asuka could hear the metal of Unit 01's armor plating groaning under the increasing pressure as the dragon's grip tightened.

***

            Shinji screamed, or rather tried to scream.  He experienced Unit 01's pain as if it had been his own.  He felt his bones beginning to crack under the strain, the constriction of his chest and neck cutting off his air supply (or rather his supply of LCL).  The dragon was slowly, mercilessly, crushing the life from his body.  Shinji tried to fight against it, but trapped as it was in the dragon's coils, Unit 01 had no leverage that it could use against the creature.

            With each passing second, Shinji's struggles became weaker.  The more he struggled, the more the monster's coils tightened around Unit 01.  The world around him began to grow dark.  Finally, darkness claimed him and he knew no more.

***

            Unit 02 engaged its progressive knife and held it at the ready.  However, Asuka was hesitant about using the weapon.  _If I miss or I stab too hard, I could hurt Unit 01 and that would hurt Shinji.  Before her whole experience with the coma, Asuka wouldn't even have worried about Shinji.  She would have simply tried to stab the monster and if Shinji got hurt that was too bad.  Before nothing had mattered but doing what she had to in order to beat the enemy.  The realization that she actually cared now surprised Asuka._

            Asuka made a decision.  Unit 01's struggles were slowly becoming weaker.  After a final twitch, the Evangelion froze, motionless.  Still in the grip of the dragon's coils, Unit 01 fell to the ground, where it remained motionless.  The creature released the fallen Eva and began to crawl away.  Asuka noticed that it was heading the way it had come from.  She let out a sigh of relief; maybe she wouldn't have to fight the creature after all.  Maybe it would just leave.  It obviously wasn't going to finish off Unit 01 and Shinji.

            But, as the dragon headed towards the sea, his tail wrapped around Unit 01's left wrist.  The dragon began to drag the motionless Eva towards the ocean.  Asuka realized that the beast was trying to take the Eva with it.  Perhaps it had simply claimed the Evangelion as a meal and was now taking it into the sea to finish it or maybe there was some other purpose.  All that Asuka knew was that she couldn't let the monster fulfill its purpose.

            Now that the dragon had detached itself mostly from Unit 01, the Eva was no longer at risk.  Unit 02 rushed towards the retreating monster, its progressive knife raised to do battle.  The dragon ignored the red Eva's approach altogether.

            Asuka brought the progressive knife down on the monster's tail, near to where it was curled around Unit 01's wrist.  To her surprise, the dragon's scales withstood the assault, and the blade simply raised a cloud of sparks where it made contact with the dragon's armored hide.  "This thing is tougher than an Angel's core!" Asuka exclaimed.  She pressed down on the handle of the weapon with both of the Eva's hands.

            After a few seconds, Asuka felt the progressive knife bite into the dragon's scales.  It slowly worked its way deeper until finally, it broke through the dragon's armor completely and into the soft flesh underneath.  Black blood spurted into the air as the knife cleaved through the tail, severing the end of the appendage.

            The creature hissed in pain and reared up, turning its head around to view the thing that had hurt it so.  Unit 02 stood up to confront the monster, Asuka deliberately placing her Unit between the dragon and Unit 01.  _I can't let that thing do anymore damage to Shinji, she thought unconsciously._

            The dragon hissed and reared back.  A second later, its head snapped forward like a striking snake.  Its mouth opened, revealing razor sharp teeth.  Unit 02 threw up an arm to ward off the beast's strike.  The monster latched its jaws onto the Eva's arm while it tried to loop its coils around the rest of the Eva.

            Asuka would have none of that though.  She was determined not to let the monster get a good grip on her.  She reached out with the Eva's unimpeded arm and gripped the dragon by the neck in its hand.  She carefully worked the Eva's hand around until she thought she had it in the approximate location to close off the monster's windpipe and began to squeeze.  At the same time, the dragon's coils closed around her and began to tighten their own grip.  It was a battle of who would give out first, a battle Asuka was determined to win, for Shinji's sake.

***

            Ritsuko and Maya were working desperately to find a way to circumvent the jamming that had cut off the Command Center from the outside world.  A call from the pilot locker room stopped them for a moment.  An image of Rei appeared on screen.  She had found a communication terminal and called them.  They could see that she had already dressed in her standard white plug suit.  "What is the situation," she asked blandly.

            "Asuka and Shinji informed us that a kaiju was attacking Tokyo 3 not long ago," replied Ritsuko, "All our communications with the surface have failed so we have no idea what's going on up there."

            "How can I help?" inquired Rei.

            Inwardly, Ritsuko was surprised that the girl bore her no animosity despite Ritsuko's destruction of the dummy plug system, including all of the spare Reis.  "I don't know if it's possible, but you can try to pilot Unit 14," she suggested.

            "I will try," was all that Rei said.  She shut off the terminal.

            "Doctor?" squeaked Maya from beside her, "Can she actually synchronize with Unit 14?"

            Ritsuko sighed.  "I don't know," she admitted, "But we have to try at least.  Unit 00 isn't ready yet and Ishiro's still out of action.  Rei is our only choice right now."  Maya nodded uncertainly.

***

            Rei seated herself in Unit 14's entry plug.  The hatch closed above her as she strapped herself into the seat and gripped the controls.  The plug lurched forward as it was injected into Unit 14.  LCL slowly filled the plug.  Rei opened her mouth and took a deep breath of the coppery liquid, letting it fill her lungs.  After a moment, her respiratory system adjusted fully to the substance and she was ready.

            "Establishing A-10 nerve connections," announced Maya over the omm..  Rei saw the familiar swirl of color and light as the synchronization process began.  Suddenly, Rei no longer felt alone in the entry plug.  She looked around for the source of the other presence she had sensed, but found nothing.

            _Who are you?  The question, though silent, echoed through the confines of the entry plug._

            _I am Rei, her mental reply was as calm as she could make it.  A pilot's connection with her Eva was normally closer to empathetic rather than telepathic.  She had never had an experience where she spoke directly with the spirit of an Eva before._

            _Where is Ishiro? asked the unknown being._

            _He is not well.  Rei was starting to get nervous.  What if the spirit that resided in this Eva rejected her?_

            _I recognize you now, said the voice after a moment, _You___ were not far from his thoughts the last time we were together._

            "Rei what's going on?" inquired Ritsuko over the omm., "Your synch ratio is all over the place."

            _Please, pleaded Rei, _Help me.  My friends are in need and I must help them.__

            _I sense that Ishiro would approve of this, mused the voice.  Rei suddenly felt the Evangelion merge with her mind completely.  She had finished the synchronization._

***

            "My God," hissed Ritsuko, "Look at that synch ratio."  The ratio was holding at 93.8%.

            "Not bad for a cold synch," said Maya, chuckling with relief.

            "Not bad, that's a new record for her," commented Ritsuko, "Let's launch the damn thing."

            "Roger," replied Maya, "Beginning launch sequence."  A handful of seconds later, Unit 14 was launched to join Asuka and Shinji above.

***

            Asuka couldn't breathe.  The dragon's coils had tightened around her.  She felt her strength ebbing with each passing second and as far as she could tell, the dragon was nowhere near its threshold.  She was still squeezing its neck with all her Eva's might, hoping, just hoping that the dragon might began to weaken.  But now it looked like all her hope was in vain.

            But still she struggled on, determined not to let the monstrosity win.  If she couldn't choke the damn thing, she would squeeze until its head popped off.  She realized that maybe she couldn't do it with one hand.  Perhaps she had to get both hands around the dragon's neck in order to kill it.  The thought was no good though, as her right arm was firmly in the dragon's teeth, so she resigned herself to using one hand.

            _Come on you bastard, she chanted mentally, _Die already._  She winced as the pain in her right arm increased.  Not only was the leviathan squeezing the life out of her, but he was also now threatening to bite her arm off.  Darkness was creeping in at the edges of her vision, but she fought on.  She had to win._

***

            Shinji slowly came to.  He had a massive headache and his lungs burned from lack of air (LCL actually, but that's what it felt like).  He gasped for a moment as he tried to remember what had happened.  The dragon had done something to him, hypnotized him, that's it, and had then tried to constrict him like some sort of mammoth python.

            _Where is it now? he wondered._

            He got his answer as he looked up to view Unit 02, in the grip of the monster.  The dragon had latched its jaws onto Unit 02's right arm while looping its coils about the Eva's body.  The said coils were now trying to squeeze the life from the red behemoth.  However, Asuka obviously wasn't ready to give up without a fight.  Unit 02's left hand was wrapped around the monster's neck, trying to do something similar to what the dragon was doing right now.

            _I have to help her, Shinji realized.  He willed Unit 01 to its feet, but was having a hard time of it.  Shakily, the purple Eva finally managed to stand up.  Having done that, Shinji now tried to consider how he would get the serpentine creature off of Unit 02._

            Using the progressive knife was out of the question as Unit 02 was too close to the enemy for that kind of combat.  His eyes looked the dragon over, trying to find a weak spot.  Finally, they came to rest on the hand that was grasping the dragon's neck.  _That's it, Shinji thought.  He put his plan into action._

            Unit 01 circled around the two struggling giants.  When he stood in front of Unit 02, he rushed forward and grabbed the dragon's neck from behind with both hands.  In the process, he had to force Unit 02's hand aside slightly.  After he had the neck securely in both hands, he began to squeeze with all his Eva's might while pulling backwards.  The dragon was quite unwilling to let go of Unit 02's arm.  However, its struggles were beginning to weaken with its air supply being cut off by Unit 01's grip.  This renewed Shinji's determination to pull the thing off before it killed Asuka.

***

            Asuka barely even felt the pressure now.  In fact, she hardly felt anything.  Her vision was almost completely black at this point.  She had been fighting with all of her might and continued to fight, even on the brink of passing out, maybe even dieing.  All she knew was that she couldn't let the beast win.

            Though she was barely aware of it, she felt something remove her Eva's hand from where it was around the dragon's neck.  Asuka nearly gave into despair and passed out right there, but then she began to feel the creature's struggles weakening.  The dragon was losing strength and fast.  She felt around blindly with her Eva's free hand until it came to rest on the dragon's muzzle which was still latched onto her arm.

            Asuka grabbed the lower jaw and pulled for all she was worth, while forcing up with her trapped arm.  She felt the creature continue to weaken.  Finally, the coils went slack.  Asuka gasped, filling her parched lungs with fresh LCL.  She pried the dragon's mouth open and freed her arm.  The head snapped back.  It was quickly pulled away, taking the majority of the dragon's body with it.

            When her vision returned fully, Asuka saw the face of her savior, the purple head of Unit 01.  Shinji had recovered enough to help.  Unit 01 threw the dragon, coils and all, in another direction.  Asuka felt her spirits fall.  _I had to be saved…again.  She felt depression sink in._

            She snapped out of her depression when she noticed the dragon was starting to move.  It wasn't dead yet.  "Shinji look out!" she screamed, momentarily forgetting that her warning would go unheard by the boy.  However, Shinji had obviously noticed the movement too.  Unit 01 also turned and faced the reviving creature.

***

            "Will that damn thing ever die!?" exclaimed Shinji.  He was quickly getting frustrated by the dragon's stubbornness.  The dragon reared its head above the buildings and looked at Unit 01, its eyes blinking with an expression that looked like confusion.

            At that moment, the doors of a nearby elevator began to open.  The dragon's head snapped around to look at the opening doors.  A low rumble became audible.  Seconds later, Unit 14 shot through the opening and into the morning light.

            "Ishiro?" wondered Shinji.  Then he noticed the dragon was behaving rather oddly.  It quickly turned its head back and forth between Unit 01 and Unit 14.  The look of confusion on its face was very clear now.

            The monster swayed back and forth between Unit 01 and Unit 14.  Finally, it made up its mind.  The dragon lashed out at Unit 14 like a striking snake, its tooth-lined jaws seeking the Eva's neck.  However, Rei saw the attack coming and Unit 14 dodged to one side.  As it did so, its left shoulder brace opened, revealing the handle of the Eva's progressive knife.

            _Why isn't Ishiro using the AT swords, Shinji wondered.  Ishiro had always said that the progressive knife seemed to be too minor of a weapon to be useful.  Unless, of course, it weren't really Ishiro piloting the black Eva.  _If it isn't Ishiro, could it be…_?_

            Unit 14's right arm reached up and grasped the handle of the knife.  In one fluid motion, the Eva drew the knife, which activated as it did so, and attacked with a backhanded slash that went down and across.  The blade smacked the dragon right between the eyes, but failed to cut.  The blow did however, manage to stun the dragon slightly.

            The beast retreated from Unit 14 and turned to regard the Eva.  It then turned to look at Unit 01.  Shinji was afraid that the dragon might try to come after him again.  The dragon seemed to be indecisive again, looking back and forth between Units 01 and 14.  Then, its eyes widened.  After a moment, the dragon began to back away from the three Evas, moving like a sidewinder, it retreated along its previous path while still keeping its eyes on the Evas.  When it reached the coast, it slipped into the water and disappeared without so much as a ripple.

            "What was that all about?" came Asuka's voice over the Comm.

            Shinji gasped in surprise.  "The communications are up again," he said.

            Asuka's face appeared on a screen, floating in the LCL next to him.  She nodded in agreement.  "That was strange," she said softly, "Who's piloting Unit 14?  Ishiro's still out isn't he?"

            "I am piloting Unit 14," came Rei's voice softly over the Comm.

            "What are you doing in there Wondergirl?" snapped Asuka.

            "Ishiro was not available to pilot and Unit 00 was not yet fully repaired, so I was left to pilot Unit 14."  Shinji immediately noticed that Rei was using Saegusa's first name instead of his last.  He had rarely known Rei to do that.

            "Good work you three."  Ritsuko's voice now echoed through the entry plug.  "Communications are back up.  Thank you Shinji and Asuka.  You two really saved our asses."

            "All in a days work for the great Asuka Langely Sohryu," crowed Asuka, turning her face upward in mock pride.

            This elicited a chuckle from Ritsuko.  "Alright you three, it's time to come back."

***

            Ritsuko sagged into one of the empty seats.  "What a hectic day this has been so far," she moaned.

            Maya nodded.  Ten seconds later, Shigeru and Makoto came rushing onto the bridge.  "Reporting for duty!" they said at the same time, coming to attention before the weary doctor and her aide.

            "Now you show up," groaned Maya.  Her two fellow techs exchanged confused glances.  They looked at the two women sheepishly.

            "Sorry," was all Shigeru could manage to say.  However, Makoto had something else to discuss.

            "I picked up the latest medical reports on the 6th child on my way in," he explained, "And I found something you might be interested in."

            "Really?"  Ritsuko took the clipboard and flipped through the various sets of data collected on the unconscious boy.  Suddenly, her eyes widened.  "This is interesting.  I had better go see if I can have a discussion with the 6th child when he wakes up."  Not waiting for any comments from the others on the fact that Pilot Saegusa was still unconscious, she strode to the personnel elevator that would take her to the infirmary.

***

            In the infirmary section of NERV, Ishiro's eyes slowly opened.  For a moment, he blinked, looking around confusedly.  "Where am I?" he murmured.  Then, the events of his last waking moments came rushing back to him.  Ishiro sat bolt upright, realizing where he must be.  At the moment, he didn't realize that he had nothing, save the sheets on his bed, covering his body.

            "How long have I been out?" he wondered aloud.  At that moment, he heard footsteps in the corridor outside.  The door slid open and the familiar blond visage of Docotor Ritsuko Akagi strode in.

            "Alright young man," she said sternly, holding up a clipboard holding what must have been his latest medical records, "You have some explaining to do."

            Ishiro wondered briefly what she was talking about.  Two possibilities came to him.  One word went through his mind.  _Shit._


	7. The Truth Revealed: Sort Of

Disclaimer: I am sorry to say that I do not own Evangelion or Godzilla (though if my brilliantly evil plan works out they will both be mine hahahahahahahah!).

**Chapter 7:** The Truth Revealed (Sort Of)

            "Alright young man," said Ritsuko in her most serious and stern tone, "You have some explaining to do."  She held up a clipboard in front of her for Ishiro to see.  Ishiro assumed that it was his medical records.

            That alone gave him pause.  He shouldn't have had to assume anything.  By rights, Ishiro should have known the exact contents of the papers of that clipboard with a single thought.  It was at the same moment that Ishiro realized that he was completely naked under his sheets which had fallen down considerably the instant he had sat up.  With a surprised yelp, Ishiro pulled the sheets far enough over his body to preserve what was left of his dignity.

            _What's going on? he wondered.  However, Ishiro was nothing if not capable of improvising.  He quickly took stock of his current situation.  There were only two things about him that could have caused Ritsuko to act the way she did.  The first was a minor annoyance; the second was nothing short of life threatening._

            Fortunately for him, it was the former.  "Explain to me how this is possible," snapped Ritsuko, jabbing at the clipboard with a pen she had pulled from the pocket of her white lab coat.  From the look on her face, Ishiro wouldn't have been surprised if she had tried to run him through.  And in his current state, he would have been hard pressed to stop her.  "When did you get a prosthetic implant?"

            It took all of Ishiro's will power to avoid letting out the loudest sigh of relief heard this side of the solar system.  Despite the fact that he was holding his true feelings back, Ishiro allowed himself to relax visibly.  "Oh this?" he said innocently.  He reached with his left hand and pinched at the skin of his right hand.  He then pulled down.  The skin peeled away to reveal a mass of circuitry and metal joints.  All were created to the exact configuration of the bones, muscles, tendons and nerves of the human hand.  "What is so important about me having a prosthetic?"

            "It should be impossible to properly synchronize with an Eva with a pilot who uses prosthetics.  The electric signals that manipulate prosthetic limbs interfere with the conductivity of LCL, that's why the Fourth child can no longer be used as a pilot."  Ritsuko was now tapping her pen against the clipboard incessantly.

            Ishiro shrugged indifferently.  "I have had no problems synchronizing with Unit 14 thus far.  I don't see why it should be a matter of concern for me or you."

            Ritsuko could only shrug at this.  "Maybe you're just a special case," she theorized.  The look of interest flashed across her face.  "How did you get that prosthetic?"

            Ishiro smiled indulgently.  "Remember how I said my mother worked for the government organization G-Force?"  Ritsuko nodded.  "Well, my mom had several friends in the business.  One of them was a geneticist who was conducting research on G-cells.  In fact, it was this scientist's research that I was using in order to do my own research now.

            "Well, anyway when I was about five, my mom went to visit her friend and was kind enough to take me along with her.  Her friend at the time was conducting research on G-cell capacity for the absorption of radiation.  Testing this meant taking a sample of G-cells and exposing it to so much radioactive energy that the cells began to release that radioactivity back into their environment.  When my mother took me to visit her friend in her own lab, her friend was careless enough to leave a sample jar of freshly tested G-cells open.  While they were making small talk, I wandered around wherever I wished.  Eventually I found this intriguing jar of G-cells.  Like a perfectly normal child, I was inclined to stick my hand in the jar.

            "You'd be surprised at how much radioactivity a G-cell can hold.  My hand was nearly burned to a cinder and the condition would have spread to the rest of my body had not that same quick thinking doctor who had first conducted the tests amputated my hand at the wrist.

            "Thanks to her distinguished service for the government, my mother was allowed to consult some of the finest doctors in the world and utilize some of the most advanced technology.  A prosthetic hand was created that was almost a perfect mechanical replica of my original hand sans skin, a synthetic form of which was applied over the top.  That's how my prosthetic came to be doctor."  Ishiro folded his arms imperiously.

            "Well," said Ritsuko, "It appears that you have lived a most exciting life Pilot Saegusa."  She looked at his medical records one last time before setting them down on the table by his bedside.  "I see no problems with you're being released this afternoon.  I will schedule a full synchronization test tomorrow for you."  Ritsuko left at a brisk pace.

            Without her watching him, Ishiro sighed with absolute relief and let his body slide all the way down under the covers.  He was glad that that was over.  If there was one secret about him that Ritsuko had to discover, that would be it.

            Of course, if she ever found out about his _other_ secret, or worse, if Gendo Ikari found out, Ishiro Saegusa would most likely cease to exist.  _If they found out that I am psychic,_ he thought, _They__ would be virtually forced to kill me._

            When Ishiro had first touched the mind of Gendo Ikari, Ishiro Saegusa found out exactly how precarious his situation really was.  Gendo believed, per his readings of the Dead Sea Scrolls, that human evolution had hit a dead end.  Thus, the human instrumentality project was born, its purpose, to stimulate a man made "next step" in human evolution by fusing all human souls into a single greater entity.

            Ishiro made all that bunk.  His psychic abilities had been passed to him via his mother, therefore revealing that his psionic nature as a genetically inheritable trait.  This meant that Ishiro was the product of the next natural step in human evolution.  In other words, everything that Gendo Ikari had ever worked for was absolute foolishness.  Furtermore, Ishiro concluded that if Gendo attempted to initiate the instrumentality of man despite this, he could set into action a chain reaction that would result in the complete destruction of all humanity.

            _His perfect world would become his worst nightmare.  Ishiro had also realized upon touching Gendo's mind that Gendo would not completely disregard all of his work based on the fact that his research had led to the wrong conclusions.  Rather, if the man encountered an obstacle in his path, he would simply have it eliminated.  The fact that he was manipulating the instigation of Third Impact to reunite with his wife would make him all that more determined to see that insure that anyone and everyone were out of his way._

            Ishiro also knew that now he was more vulnerable than ever.  For some reason, his abilities were no longer functioning properly.  He had tried to probe Ritsuko's mind to find out why she had come calling, only to find that he could no longer reach out to touch her mind.  During their entire conversation and throughout his lengthy story, Ishiro attempted to reach out with his psychic senses and determine the exact nature of his surroundings, only to find that he could not do so.

            Ishiro's analytical mind came to the conclusion that his exertions in the cockpit of Unit 14, involving a feat of psychic projection that had been impossible for his mother, to turn Godzilla away from Tokyo 3 and towards Old Tokyo, had robbed him of almost all his psychic abilities.

            _I guess all that remains now is to see whether or not they return.  This did not sit well with the boy.  Throughout his life, Ishiro had come to rely on his psychic abilities as a supplement to all five of his senses.  It was perfectly natural for him to reach out with his psychic powers to better discern his surroundings or to delve into the thoughts and dreams of those he interacted with.  Without them, Ishiro felt shut off, like all of his senses had been suddenly dulled.  This sense brought with it a sense of extreme disorientation._

            The boy lay back and closed his eyes, letting his breathing slow as he relaxed his body.  If anything, rest would be the cure for his ailment.  Perhaps if he rested enough his powers would return quickly.

***

            _That was definitely strange, thought Ritsuko as she made her way back to the Command Center.  _Past a certain point it seemed he was more worried about what I could have found out than what I did find out._  After years of working on Project E, a job which also entailed conducting psychological examinations on her staff, a task Ritsuko trusted to no one but herself, she had become quite adept at reading people's facial expressions._

            _He was definitely worried that I'd find out about something more than a prosthetic, she realized.  She decided to think about it later and pushed those thoughts aside as she reached to bridge._

            Makoto smiled as he watched her sag into an unoccupied seat, much the same way she had earlier that day only she now looked even more tired.  "It must be one of those days," he commented.

            Ritsuko nodded tiredly.  "I hate days like these," she groaned.

***

            It was the day after their battle with the dragon.  Asuka had slept in Shinji's room again.  She seemed to be much better after her change in sleeping arrangements.  Misato, considering how well they had done the previous day, gave them the day off from any chores they had.

            Asuka dragged Shinji by his wrist through the mall.  Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately to Shinji's point of view), the place had not been damaged in the latest kaiju attack.  School had been canceled for the day due to the attack.  And to Asuka, a day off meant only one thing, a shopping spree.  This resulted in her dragging Shinji from store to store, making him try things on, making him wait while she tried on new clothes of her own, and forcing him to look at everything that he could have cared less about.  Yes, Shinji Ikari was truly in a sorry situation.  Once again, Asuka was pushing her NERV debit card to its limit, leaving Shinji to pick up the tab.  In fact, the poor boy was beginning to worry that if Asuka pushed this shopping spree too much longer he might not have enough money for that month's grocery bill.

            "Asuka, don't you think you have enough now?" begged Shinji from behind a massive pile off bags that carried all the things that Asuka had bought.

            "I guess we've gotten enough," mused Asuka as she contemplated yet _another_ display in the windows of a clothing store.

            _If by 'we' you mean 'you', thought Shinji as he watched her.  He kept his thoughts to himself knowing that he very well risked a pummeling by voicing his opinion of her shopping habits.  "If we get anymore I might not be able to afford the groceries for this month," he told her._

            "Fine," said Asuka exasperatedly, "But let's get something to eat before we go."

            "Why not," sighed Shinji.

            They sat down in the food court.  Shinji set down Asuka's bags and went to get them both something from one of the many fast-food restaurants lining the court.  After bringing back their food, the two children ate in silence.

            Finally, Shinji decided to break that silence.  "Do you think we'll be able to go on our next class trip?"  The next class trip was a camping trip in the forest.  Shinji had been camping once when he stumbled on Kensuke while running away after the battle with the fourth Angel.  He had decided that with the exception of NERV agents showing up early in the morning to take him back, he rather enjoyed the experience.

            Sadly, the last time their class had taken a trip, Shinji and Asuka had been forced to stay behind because they were on permanent standby.  Furthermore, once Misato had learned about their poor grades in school, she had forced them to catch up on their studies.

            "I hope so," said Asuka softly.  She was in a pensive state, which was quite unusual for her.  Both she and Shinji had worked hard to keep their grades up this time around so that Misato would only have on excuse to keep them around.  "Maybe they'll only need one or two pilots on standby this time."

            "One can only hope," agreed Shinji.  To his surprise, he saw that Asuka was now rubbing her eyes.  "Are you okay?" he asked.

            "Yeah," she replied, "I'm just a little tired."  She lowered her head onto her arms, her meal now forgotten.

            Shinji gently reached out and took her hand.  "How did you sleep last night?" he asked gently.

            "I still had some nightmares," she admitted, "But I wasn't as afraid anymore for some reason."

            Shinji smiled.  "Let's go home."

            "Yeah," mumbled Asuka, "Let's."

            Shinji grabbed their purchases for the day and led Asuka gently out the door and to the nearest Tokyo 3 Loop Line station.  Setting their stuff down inside the train, they sat side by side as the train pulled out of the station.  Asuka's eyes closed and she rested her head on Shinji's shoulder.

            After a few moments, Asuka began to tense up and her breathing became erratic.  Shinji realized that she was having nightmares again.  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.  Asuka's breathing slowed and she relaxed again.  Shinji reached up with his other hand and stroked her cheek.  "It's okay Asuka," he murmured, "I'm here for you."

            They rode the train until they reached their stop.  Gently, Shinji withdrew his hands from Asuka's shoulders and shook her gently.  Asuka's eyes slowly opened.  "Was I asleep?" she asked groggily.  Shinji nodded and helped her up.  After he had shouldered Asuka's purchases, and followed her out off the train and off of the station platform, heading for home.

***

            Ishiro stepped into his own spacious apartment.  Sitting down on the couch in front of the TV he sighed.  "It's good to be home," he murmured.

***

            Misato opened the door to her apartment and entered as quietly as she could.  The door closed behind her with a hiss.  The woman gently tiptoed into the kitchen.  As she expected, she found a plate of food with utensils already set out for her.  The plate was covered with tin foil so that she could heat it when she got back.  Misato had been working yet another late night at NERV.

            She put the food in the microwave to reheat it.  After that, Misato tiptoed down the hall to check on the kids.  As she expected, Asuka was spending the night in Shinji's room.  She was very glad to see that the two children still slept in separate beds.  She smiled when she saw that Shinji was holding Asuka's hand.  Misato had no complaints about the children's sleeping arrangements so long as they didn't go too far.  _They are just kids after all, she thought._

            Misato heard a beep from the kitchen, indicating that her food was warmed up.  Misato pulled the food out of the microwave and set it down on the table while she went to get a beer from the refrigerator.  Seating herself at the table, she dug into her dinner.  The food was delicious; obviously Shinji had cooked.

            After eating her dinner, Misato went into her room and crawled under the covers of her futon.  She was asleep instantly.

***

            The blaring of an alarm clock snapped Ishiro into wakefulness.  He slowly sat up and got ready to greet the new day.  Ishiro prepared a simple breakfast for himself while getting the coffee machine going.  _There must be something wrong with me,_ he thought, _drinking coffee at my age.  After that, Ishiro decided to test to see if his power had returned overnight._

            Slowly, he tried to reach out with his mind and touch the consciousness of another person whom he couldn't see.  He was glad to know that his experiment was a success as his thoughts found a janitor in the hallway outside his room.  Satisfied, Ishiro began to get dressed for his synchronization test later that day.

***

            Shinji and Asuka got to school a few minutes early.  Everyone in the classroom was talking excitedly about the upcoming school trip.  Asuka sat down next to Hikari and started a lively discussion of her own.  Shinji joined Touji and Kensuke near the back of the class.  The two boys were already talking animatedly about the upcoming trip.

            "I've heard we'll be camping," announced Touji when Shinji joined them.  Kensuke nodded glumly.  Camping was one of his favorite pastimes.  However, it was something he preferred to do either alone or in a much smaller group.

            "It would be a lot better if I could just go out on my own," moaned Kensuke.

            "But then it wouldn't be a 'class' trip would it?" commented Touji prodding Shinji in the arm, "Right?"

            Shinji grinned sheepishly and nodded.  "Right," he said, holding back laughter at his friend's antics.

            "I bet you're just saying that 'cause you'll get to be with the class rep," taunted Kensuke.  Touji blushed, prompting laughter from both Kensuke and Shinji.

            "What about you?" Touji asked Shinji, quickly changing the subject, "Hoping to hook up with Asuka?"

            Both Kensuke and Touji grinned evilly at Shinji whose face was quickly turning a color to match his roommate's hair.

            Kensuke suddenly remembered something.  "Hold on," he said, "Will you even be able to make it this time?  If I remember right, last time you couldn't come 'cause you were on standby."

            "Well, I don't know," admitted Shinji.

            At that moment, the bell rang to signal the beginning of the class.  Hikari quickly directed everyone through the "stand, bow, sit," routine.  As was typical, the teacher rambled on about second impact.  It was the same speech he had given them day after day after day.  Shinji could practically recall the speech in his sleep.  And thus a new day of boredom and monotony began.

***

            "We're done Ishiro," announced Ritsuko over the omm..

            "About time," muttered Ishiro as LCL drained from the entry plug.  After finding out about the particularly unique relationship Pilot Saegusa maintained with his Eva, Ritsuko had declared that Ishiro would now conduct all synchronization tests in the entry plug, synching directly with the Eva, rather than using the standard test plugs for the procedure.

            "That's all the data we'll need for today," said Ritsuko.

            "Then I would like to see the data on this Eva," stated Ishiro, "Particularly the data on its organic components."

            "Why?" asked Ritsuko.

            "I have heard rumors Dr. Akagi that the cells of the Eva, which are virtually identical to Unit 01, were spliced with cells from another source.  Could you tell me what that source is?"  Ishiro folded his arms across his chest, showing that he wouldn't take no for an answer.  Ever since his unique experience inside Unit 14, Ishiro had wondered where the soul within the Eva had come from.  He had a strong feeling (probably more than helped by his clairvoyant abilities) that the answer lay somewhere in the Eva's genetic structure.

            "I can show you," said Ritsuko.  She led him to a computer terminal plugged into the Magi.  There, she called up the files on the Eva.  Having built the Evangelion, Unit 14 in particular, almost by herself, she knew exactly where to look.  Soon, she had a file that listed all of the sequences for the Eva's genes.  "We made sure to record the sequences for the cells that we spliced with the Eva's before we did so."

            She pointed at a sequence code on the screen.  "We were confused at first because the cells we spliced with the Eva's had three different gene sequences from different sources.  Apparently, the samples were the results of a different splicing experiment of their own.  The first set of genes we deciphered was, surprisingly enough, from the cells of a common rose, and these had been spliced with cells from an unknown human female.  These genes were then spliced with a third set of an unknown origin."

            "You don't know where the third set of genes came from?"  Ishiro was surprised.  "Isn't that risky doctor?  If you don't know what the source cells are, then you can't properly predict what effect splicing them with the Eva's will have."

            "So far we've had no problems with the results of the splicing," replied Ritsuko, "As you can already tell."

            "That is true," Ishiro admitted, "Though problems may surface in the future."

            "What makes you so nervous about this?" asked Ritsuko.

            Ishiro's face went blank all of a sudden.  He appeared to be deep in thought.  Ritsuko decided against asking him what was going on.  Apparently, everything he had heard had given Ishiro something to think about.

            Ishiro's mind was quickly putting two and two together.  _Erika, those cells have to belong to Erika.  I wonder, Erika, a rose, and something else.  Why does that sound familiar?  Wait a minute!  My mother told me about something like this!_  Ishiro spun on his heel and began to walk towards his lab.

            "What's going on?" demanded Ritsuko as she rushed to catch up with him.  Ishiro didn't respond.  Instead he actually began to walk faster.  A few seconds later, he broke into a frantic run.

            When Ishiro arrived back at his lab, he rushed over to the computer.  There, he pulled out one of the disks left to him by his mother.  They contained most of the data she had assembled over time in G-Force.  Ishiro quickly typed the password and began a search.

            When the search option came up, he typed in one word.  ERIKA.  He got results instantly.  "I was right," he muttered.

            "Right about what?" asked Ritsuko, as she entered the room.  She was breathing heavily from rushing to catch up to the enigmatic pilot.

            "My mother told me about a specific kaiju that she had dealt with at one time.  Your description of the cells spliced with the Eva's reminded me of something my mother told me about that kaiju."  Ishiro pointed to the screen and the data it displayed.

KAIJU CODE NAME: BIOLANTE

            'Biolante was the creation of Dr. Shiragami, a well known geneticist.  Dr. Shiragami formerly worked for a corporation in the country of Saradia.  A terrorist attack on his lab claimed the life of his daughter, Erika Shiragami.  Dr. Shiragami spliced the cells of his daughter with the cells of a rose.  He later returned to Japan with the rose containing his daughter's DNA.

            'However, an earthquake nearly killed the rose.  Desperate to save his daughter, Dr. Shiragami joined a group of scientists in creating anti-nuclear energy bacteria in anticipation of a possible attack by Godzilla.  While working on the bacteria, Shiragami secretly spliced G-cells with the cells of the rose containing Erika's DNA.

            'The rose mutated into a bizarre creature that Dr. Shiragami named Biolante after a Norse legend.  Biolante fought with Godzilla on two occasions.  The first was as a giant rose in Lake Ashino.  The second time the two kaiju did battle outside Osaka.  Biolante's form had become much more formidable and bestial.  The second time, Biolante managed to defeat Godzilla and drive him into the sea.  Afterwards, Biolante transformed into what appeared to be a cloud of pollen which then departed the Earth for parts unknown.'

            "So you're saying that the cells we spliced with the Eva's came from Biolante?" said Ritsuko.  Ishiro nodded.  "Then that means that the third sequence must have come from Godzilla."  Ishiro nodded.   Ritsuko cupped her chin in her hand.  "That would explain the increase in the Eva's increased regenerative abilities and its ability to modify its structure and its immunity to radioactivity."

            "However," interjected Ishiro, "We still have yet to see the long term effects of splicing the Eva's cells with G-cells.  Godzilla cells are notorious for their ability to cause dramatic mutations if they come in contact with the cells of another creature.  It is unlikely that we have seen the only effects of the G-cells on the Eva's structure."

            "We will continue to keep the Eva under observation," stated Ritsuko, "Though I'm fairly sure nothing will happen."

            "I hope you're right Dr. Akagi," mumbled Ishiro, "I'd hate to see what damage a Godzilla/Evangelion hybrid is capable of."  His eyes widened at another random thought.  "How did NERV come into possession of cells from Biolante?"

            "I honestly don't know where those cell samples came from?" admitted Ritsuko, shrugging.

***

_Some time ago:_

            The forest was unusually quiet.  Not far from the outskirts of Tokyo 3, the forest showed the telltale signs of the fierce battle that had taken place not so long ago.  Though now, the damage that resulted from the battle now extended much further than what the battle itself had wrought.  Per Ishiro's instructions, the workers from NERV had purged the area to eliminate any contamination of the local ecosystem.  Now the forest was covered with massive spaces of ash.  NERV had been very thorough indeed.

            However, being completely thorough is nearly impossible when one is operating on a microscopic scale.  For every area found to be contaminated with G-cells that was burned, there were two or more tiny areas that survived.  In one such area, there lay a miniscule piece of Godzilla's flesh.

            Not long after the battle, a single praying mantis stumbled upon the morsel and following its hungry nature, promptly devoured it.  The insect was almost immediately seized with convulsions as its insides began to shift and transform.  After a moment, it regained control of itself and wandered on its way.  Not too much later, the mantis found a female of its species and successfully mated with her.  As per her instincts the female devoured the male once the process was completed.

            In that fashion the strange effects and mutagens of the G-cells spread throughout the mantis population.  It wasn't long before the changes caused by the cells became more and more apparent as the mantises began to grow.  Time passed and the creatures got bigger…and bigger.

***

            Ishiro flipped through the report on the last kaiju that had attacked Tokyo 3.  Some photos of the battle had been taken, but they were few and far between.  Almost all digital forms of image recording had simply ceased working when the dragon had arrived.  Ishiro studied one of the surviving photos.

            "What did Commander Ikari call this thing?" he asked.

            "The commander has dubbed the creature Manda," replied Ritsuko, seated across the desk from him.  This elicited a chuckle from Ishiro.

            "Clever, naming him after the mythical guardian of Mu."  Ishiro grinned.

            "Mu?" inquired Ritsuko.

            "You don't know about Mu?" Ishiro was incredulous.  When Ritsuko shook her head, "Mu is the eastern version of the legend of Atlantis.  Only, instead of being in the Atlantic, Mu is in the Pacific."

            "I see," said Ritsuko.

            "Apparently, in addition to being able to stop any form of communication within a certain radius of himself, Manda appears to be able to camouflage himself from any form of detection including visual and infrared, finally, Manda also appears to be capable of some form of hypnosis."  After paging through the report, Ishiro looked up at Ritsuko.  "The other pilots and Misato also tell me that he exhibited some very strange behavior."

            Ritsuko nodded.  "Misato reported that the creature appeared to be trying to break into the geofront."

            "Not unlike an Angel then," mumbled Ishiro.

            "Asuka told me that after he had subdued Unit 01, Manda tried to drag the Eva towards the sea."

            "Strange," muttered Ishiro, "Why would Manda have such a strong interest in Unit 01."

            "And finally, when Unit 14, piloted by Rei arrived on the scene, the kaiju appeared to grow quite confused and as a result of that confusion, retreated into the ocean."

            "It is obvious that Manda's confusion stems from the similarities between Units 01 and 14.  The question is why was Manda so interested in Unit 01 in the first place?"

            Ritsuko rested her chin on the palm of her hand.  "Unit 01 is certainly different from the other Evas."  Ishiro nodded, "But I'm not sure that that is the cause of the creature's interest."  Ishiro nodded at this too.

            "Perhaps it was not really Unit 01 that Manda was looking for," suggested Ishiro, his face pensive, "Perhaps it was looking for something that was like or akin to Unit 01."

            "That is plausible," agreed Ritsuko, "However, what could that be?"

            Ishiro's face suddenly grew very serious.  Ritsuko suddenly noticed that his eyes had changed from brown to glowing red.  She realized that Ishiro had already been watching her through the infrared spectrum for some time now.  "Don't play the idiot with me Dr. Akagi," he said bluntly.  Ritsuko, taken aback by this sudden change in his attitude, was dumbstruck.  "I know that you know what this thing Manda could be looking for is and you have no intention of telling me."

            "I am not authorized to tell you," said Ritsuko helplessly.

            "It doesn't matter," sighed Ishiro, "I already know in any case."

            "What!?" exclaimed Ritsuko.

            "The thing that Manda was looking for was the second Angel…Lilith."  Ishiro smiled coldly.

            "H-how did you know that?" demanded Ritsuko.  She didn't how Ishiro had come to the conclusion that Manda was looking for Lilith.  But how did he know that Lilith existed in the first place, much less that she was in the custody of NERV.  Both Misato and Shinji had seen Lilith, however they were under the impression that the white figure nailed to the cross was actually Adam.

            "I have my ways of finding out," replied Ishiro ambiguously, "I also know that both Unit 01 and Unit 14 were created from Lilith rather than Adam unlike the other Evas."

            Ritsuko was speechless.  Ishiro said one last thing.  "I can assure you that this room is not bugged Dr. Akagi.  No one but us knows anything about this conversation.  I suggest you keep all this to yourself."  For some reason, Ritsuko could only agree with him.

            "And now, back to Manda," said Ishiro abruptly, "Knowing what we do, we have good reason to believe that Manda will return to Tokyo 3 in the near future."  Ritsuko nodded.  "I doubt that we are at a point right now where we have the means to overcome his ability to silence all communications."  Once again, Ritsuko nodded.  "We need a different way for the pilots to communicate."

            "Perhaps we can use a visual signal system," suggested Ritsuko, "We would set up certain signals for the pilots to commit to memory so that they're not totally in the dark when Manda comes back."

            "That sounds like a good idea," agreed Ishiro.  They quickly began to work out the fine points of the system, agreeing almost immediately that it should be based on Morse code.  Their talks went forward from there.

            After they had finished, Ritsuko left to see that the system was built and installed on the Evas.  As exited through the doorway, she stopped and turned around.  "I don't know how we ever managed here without you," she commented.

            "You did," replied Ishiro chuckling, "I just make things so much easier."  He stopped suddenly.  "Oh and one more thing," he said quickly, reaching into one of the drawers of his desk, rifling through papers and printouts, "How is the reconstruction of Unit 00 going."

            "It's actually ahead of schedule," replied Ritsuko.

            "That's great," said Ishiro excitedly, "If you wouldn't mind staying a few minutes longer, I have a suggestion for Unit 00's armor."

***

            "Are we going to be allowed to go?" demanded Asuka as soon as Misato entered the apartment that evening.  Misato froze, grinning sheepishly.  She knew exactly what the fiery redhead was talking about.  Sadly, she had no answers yet.

            "I can honestly say I don't know," said Misato, holding her hands out in front of her, making placating gestures.

            Instead of calming the irate Second child, this only served to irritate her further.  "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW!?" she roared.  The force of her voice alone almost sent Misato stumbling back out the door.

            "Uh Asuka," said Shinji a gingerly as he could, "I don't think screaming about it will allow us to go if it's decided we should."

            To Shinji's shock, his halfhearted attempt at calming Asuka actually worked.  Asuka took a deep breath, letting it out slowly while letting her shoulders slump.  "You're right," she admitted, "It's nothing to get worked up about."  She turned around and went into the living room.

            Both Shinji and Misato looked where she had gone.  Misato had gone completely slack jawed.  Shinji merely stared.  Both of them were completely flabbergasted at the change that had come over Asuka.  Finally, Shinji snapped out of his daze.  Turning to look at Misato, he noticed that she was still standing there, her jaw hanging open.  Gently, he reached over, put his hand under Misato's chin, and pushed her mouth closed.  This seemed to awaken Misato to reality as well.

            They immediately went about their regular tasks.  Shinji went into the kitchen and began to fix dinner.  Misato went into her room to change out of her work clothes.  While Shinji was cooking, Misato came into the kitchen and went straight for the fridge.  Fortunately, Shinji had taken the opportunity when he had gotten back to completely restock Misato's beer supply.  Misato grabbed two cans of beer immediately, and closed the fridge behind her.  She sat down at the kitchen table and opened one can.  Not hesitating a second, she chugged down the entire can in a few seconds.  She immediately switched to the second can and began to drink out of it at slower pace, taking leisurely sips.

            "Better?" asked Shinji sarcastically.

            "I needed that after what just happened," groaned Misato, "I wish they would tell me these things, but noooo.  They insist on waiting until the last minute.  It's like the personnel division enjoys watching me take the brunt of Asuka's fury when it's at its peak."  She sighed and set down her beer.  "I do know this however, the new pilot, Saegusa, will be staying here for sure."

            "Speaking of Ishiro, where has he been?" asked Shinji, "He hasn't been in school since the first time."

            "He's been down at headquarters.  Commander Ikari gave him his own project to work on studying the G-cells and analyzing all other kaiju related information.  That's why he's supposed to stay here."  Misato laughed loudly.  "Not that he'd want to go though.  That boy's glued to his work more than Ritsuko."

            "I guess that's what a college education'll do for you," commented Shinji.

            "Then obviously it didn't work for Asuka," added Misato loudly.

            "What was that?" growled Asuka from the living room.  Both Misato and Shinji broke into laughter, Shinji pausing only long enough to announce that dinner was ready.

            During dinner, Misato stayed silent as she watched Shinji and Asuka chatting away like old friends.  She was amazed at the changes they had both undergone.  It used to be you had to prod Shinji to string more than three words together in a conversation.  And as far as conversations with Asuka went, Shinji more or less tended to remain silent while Asuka babbled on.  Asuka for her part had rarely tolerated anything more than a yes or no reply from Shinji.  But now, they both talked eagerly and openly.  _They really are making progress, realized Misato, smiling happily._

***

            Later that evening, Misato retreated to her room and picked up the phone.  She quickly dialed Ritsuko's number.  "Hello?" said Dr. Akagi on the other end of the line.

            "Ritsuko," said Misato urgently, "Any word on whether or not the kids can leave on that trip?"  She looked over her shoulder at the door to her room.  "I don't think it'll be much longer before Asuka throttles me for not letting 'em know."

            "Well," replied Ritsuko, "If we can finish rebuilding Unit 00 in time, Rei would be able to stay along with Ishiro.  That would probably satisfy the Commander.  But if Rei wants to go on the trip…"

            "Come on Ritsu," said Misato, using her nickname for her old friend, "You know that Rei would never deny a request for her to stay."

            "True," agreed Ritsuko, "Though I've been noticing recently that she's been acting very strange...for her I mean."

            "Yeah I've noticed it too," commented Misato, "She's becoming more open to others."

            "I think that Ishiro has something to do with it."

            "No argument with you there.  And it's not just Rei who's changed.  Both Shinji and Asuka have really opened up, especially with each other.  It's like they're completely different people."

            "Not only that, but Asuka's synchronization ratio skyrocketed after the last battle.  Her scores are better than Shinji's now."

            "That's great!" exclaimed Misato, "Asuka'll be so pleased when she hears."

            "She already knows."

            "What?  But how can she?"

            "I told her.  Is that so strange?"

            "But," Misato nearly dropped the phone from shock.  Normally, Asuka would have bragged all evening long about how she had beaten the Third child.  "R-Ri-Ritsuko," she stammered into the phone, "I think my children have just been kidnapped and replaced with robots."

            "What?" said Ritsuko, snorting with laughter over the phone.

            "I've been with the kids all evening and Asuka didn't mention her synch ratio scores once."

            "I told her about them yesterday."

            "That just makes it even stranger.  Asuka went for two days without even mentioning anything about it."

            "I noticed her reaction seemed rather dull when I told her about it," Ritsuko's voice was pensive, "Maybe Ishiro has something to do with that as well."

            "I'm not so sure about that," declared Misato, "They've hardly seen Ishiro since well before he lost consciousness during his last mission.  He's locked himself away in his lab all the time and hasn't set foot in their school since he went there his first day.  I think it has more to do with Asuka's nightmares."

            "Really?"

            "Asuka's nightmares got so bad that she started sharing a room with Shinji."

            "WHAT!?"

            "Don't worry Ritsuko, they still sleep in separate beds.  It's just that now they sleep in the same room and Shinji holds her hand while they sleep.  You should see it.  It's so cute."

            "That must mean that Asuka is starting to open up to Shinji more," observed Ritsuko.

            "That's the impression I'm getting.  So, what has Ishiro been up to in that lab of his?"

            "You won't believe what he found out Misato."  Ritsuko's voice was grave.  "We studied cell samples from Unit 14.  Remember how I told you that the Eva's cells were spliced with cells from another source?"

            "Yes."

            "Well, after hearing what we had found out about these mystery cells, Ishiro did a quick search through the data his mother left him on kaiju and he figured out that the cells actually came from a kaiju called Biolante, a monster created by splicing the cells of a rose, a human, and Godzilla together."

            "No way!  Where did you get samples of this kaiju?"

            "I have no idea.  Gendo gave me those samples to work with and I'm not about to ask him where he got them.  I'm not even sure he knows."

            "So essentially, Unit 14 has G-cells spliced into its cellular structure."

            "That and Ishiro concluded that the soul that resides in Unit 14 to be that of a woman named Erika Shiragami."

            "That must mean that she was the human in the Biolante equation."

            "Exactly."

            "That's pretty impressive work for a fourteen-year-old."  Misato chuckled.

            "You're telling me.  It's become quite clear that Ishiro wasn't lying when he said that he had gotten a college level education.  And unlike Asuka, he's using his."

            "What else is Ishiro working on?"

            "The thing he's been devoting the majority of his attention to is trying to unravel the mysteries of Godzilla's genetic structure.  He's looking quite intently for the source of Godzilla's unnatural regenerative abilities.  In addition to that, he helped me develop a contingency communication system in the event of the return of Manda."

            "Manda?"

            "That's what Commander Ikari decided to name the dragon that attacked the other day."

            "Oh.  And what's this system based on."

            "A flashing light signal using Morse Code as the base."

            "Asuka won't be too happy that she would have to memorize Morse Code."

            "It won't be too much of a problem.  There's no real rush.  Ishiro has already told me that he knows it and I also know that Rei will pick up on it quick (if she doesn't already know it herself).  They can take over for Shinji and Asuka if Manda comes back."

            "That's great.  Is there anything else."

            "Yes.  Ishiro commented on my reconstruction of Unit 00 and stated that he had a suggestion for Unit 00's new armor."

            "Really?"

            "Yeah," Ritsuko's voice told Misato that the good doctor was quite impressed by Ishiro's skill and knowledge, "He believed that with a certain modification to the armor, Unit 00 could become a very effective counter-kaiju weapon.  He suggested that over the standard layers of fortified armor that we use a coating of NT-20 artificial diamond armor.  The armor can be used to channel energy based attacks directed against the Eva into a temporary storage unit that will transform the energy into a plasma beam which can redirect the energy back at its source."

            "That's incredible!  Where did he come up with that?"

            "Actually, he didn't come up with it.  He told me that the same system was the basis for G-Force's Mechagodzilla robot."

            "That's still pretty good for a kid like him.  Commander Ikari'll have to look out or Ishiro may get his job."

            Ritsuko laughed derisively.  "Well I can say that I would mourn for that bastard if he lost his job.  After I destroyed the dummy plug system, he offered me a choice, Unit 14 or the brig.  It wasn't too hard to decide."

            Misato looked at the clock and noticed that it was getting rather late.  "Well I'll talk to ya' later," she said, "Bye."  She hung up.

            "What a day," she muttered.  She got up and left her room.  She wandered down the hall into the kitchen for a beer before joining the children in the living room.

            "I have some good news," she said coming in, "If Ritsuko finishes rebuilding Unit 00 in time, Rei and Ishiro can stay while you two go on the class trip.  And right now, it looks like she won't have any problems fulfilling that deadline."

            "That's great!" exclaimed Asuka.

            "Just remember that it's not set in stone yet," reminded Misato.

            Asuka was already in the kitchen dialing Hikari's phone number.  Seconds later her voice could be heard from the kitchen.  "Hikari!  Guess what!  I can come!"

            Shinji chuckled at her eagerness.  After chatting with Hikari for a few minutes, Asuka hung up and came back into the living room.  "Well?" she said, grinning at Shinji, "Are you going to call your fellow stooges now and let them know you're coming."

            Shinji shrugged.  "Sure, why not."

            _This is great, thought Misato, _Now___ they'll really have a chance to live like normal kids for a little bit at least.  She was sincerely happy for them._

            Asuka could hardly sit still she was so excited.  _This is going to be so much fun, she thought._

            If only they knew.

Announcement: This is the last update I'm going to make for a while.  Over the next two weeks I'm going to be in Ireland on vacation.  I'll update in the first week in August and try to make weekly updates as much as possible.  In the meantime, enjoy this chapter.  The next chapter borrows a bit from a couple of Eva fics that I've read and a bit from Godzilla 2000, by Marc Cerasini.

***

A note for serious Godzilla fans: A reviewer mentioned that I have read the Godzilla books written by Marc Cerasini.  Indeed, I have borrowed a few elements of these stories and incorporated them into my own.  While on the subject of said books, I have heard several remarks by people far and wide across the internet that no one has ever been able to find a copy of the last book in Cerasini's Godzilla saga Godzilla And The Lost Continent.  If you are looking for this book, don't bother.  The fact is that the book was never completed and published, which is a shame but there is little that can be done.


	8. Attack of the Kamacuras: Camping Gone Aw...

Author's Note: I'm sorry it took me so long to update after getting back, but here's the next chapter.  Just as a warning, this chapter is going to have a lot of flashbacks.

Disclaimer: Roses are Red.  Violets are blue.  Me no own, so you no sue.

**Chapter 8:** Attack of the Kamacuras/Camping Gone Awry

            A bear wandered through the forests of Tokyo 3 in the night, looking for berries and other edible plants.  Maybe if he was lucky he would find some meat.  Be it carrion or a rabbit that he could hunt down and kill himself he didn't care.  All that mattered to the bear was sustenance and how he could acquire it.  There weren't many bears left following the environmental upheaval of Second Impact.  But a few remained nonetheless.

            The predator watched its chosen prey.  Its hunger was growing and would soon reach fever pitch.  It could not hold its appetite back any longer.  It longed to feel flesh in its mouth, to drink of the blood of freshly killed meat.  The predator struck.

            The bear managed only a short bark of surprise as two sickle shaped claws sank into its right flank.  The claws dragged down, cutting deep into the bear's flesh.  The hefty creature collapsed, all strength having fled from his muscles.  His attacker scuttled into his fading view.  The moonlight gleamed off the hard exoskeleton of a giant praying mantis.  Without hesitation, the monster closed its mandibles on the bear's flesh, tearing away a large chunk of meet and swallowing it almost instantly.  The mantis was soon joined by others.  Some were small; some were even larger than the bear itself.  They all fell upon the fresh meal with unrelenting savagery, tearing at the bear before it had even finished dying.

            Their meal consumed, the gigantic insects went on their way, seeking more food to satisfy their still growing appetites.  The scuttling sounds of individual creatures was soon replaced by the low rumble of hundreds of feet as the group of mantises swelled to an army, an army that devoured anything in its path.

***

            "Augh, slow down Asuka!"  Shinji's pleas fell on deaf ears as Asuka, who had his wrist in a death grip, dragged him down the streets of Tokyo 3 towards the train station.  Slung over his shoulder was a backpack carrying everything that he thought he would need for a simple camping trip.  Asuka had a similar backpack, though hers was considerably larger.

            They were both excited about the prospect of the camping trip.  School had been hard enough already.  But when one combined that with synch tests and lessons in Morse code from Ritsuko, a week could get very hectic indeed.

            "It would help if you weren't so slow baka," snarled Asuka.  Shinji managed a smile, knowing she couldn't see it.  He was glad that she was returning to her old self.  Quite frankly, the Asuka she had been not so long ago was kind of unnerving.

            "That's the gratitude I get for making your breakfast _and _lunch for you?" he said cynically, "You can't even let me at least make breakfast for myself?"

            Asuka suppressed a smile despite herself.  _He's getting a spine, that's good.  Instead, she said, "Ha! You eat so slow the class would have left without us and come back and you still wouldn't have been done."  She was rewarded with an amused chuckle.  "Come on," she said, "We're almost there."  The train station was rapidly coming into a view.  A few students were already there, milling around the waiting area.  Hikari and Touji were among them._

            Both Asuka and Shinji were only slightly surprised to see Hikari and Touji sharing a bench and talking to one another.  And even then, the only thing they were surprised at was that the two were doing it in front of their classmates.  Shinji was not in the leas surprised to see the slight blush on Touji's cheeks.  Nor was Asuka when she saw a slight blush on Hikari's.

            The two children looked almost relieved to see Shinji and Asuka come rushing up.  Asuka rushed up to Hikari and practically dragged her away.  Shinji, having been suddenly turned loose before he had a chance to regain his balance, stumbled and nearly slammed head first into Touji.

            "I take it she was in a hurry," said Touji, raising an eyebrow.

            "I cook for her," groaned Shinji, "I make her breakfast, I make her lunch.  But does she give me a chance to eat? No."  She sighed as his stomach growled loudly.  "At least I managed to make myself a lunch."

            "Hey don't worry," said Touji, chuckling, "We've still got a good half an hour before we actually need to be here and there's a convenience store just a block away."

            "That sounds good," replied Shinji.  They left the platform and walked down the sidewalk.

            "So?" said Touji, "You think this camping trip's going to be any fun?"

            "I guess so," said Shinji uncertainly, "I honestly don't know."

            "I think it'll be great!" exclaimed Touji, "And just think, you'll have the perfect opportunity to get in good with Sohryu."

            Shinji turned red but decided against saying anything.

            "Besides Touji added, we'll get to do all sorts of other fun stuff like hiking, swimming (there's a lake near where we're camping), games…"

***

            _And running, thought Shinji.  Several hours later, he and his fellow students were stumbling down the trail they had taken to arrive at camp, running just as fast as their legs could carry them.  It had been a good seventeen hours later.  It was 1:00 in the morning and they were running for their lives.  Even worse, it had started to rain earlier that night, hard, turning the once solid dirt trail into a treacherous ribbon of mud.  Furthermore, their rush to leave had been so great most of them hadn't been able to take even their shoes.  So they ran, on bear feet as hard as they could, trying to ignore it as rocks that had seemed so nicely blunt in the daylight now turned as sharp as razors and sliced into their feet.  _Why can't things go normally for a change?_ Shinji whined inwardly, _And___ why does this whole situation seem so goddamn cliché?_

***

**Flashback**:

            "Well here we are," observed Kensuke as the train rolled slowly to a stop.  Out the window of the train, Shinji could see a parking lot and a trail that went into the woods from the parking lot.

            "Let's go," said Touji.  The three friends stood up and joined the line of children already filing off the train.

            Shinji remained quiet as he listened to the incessant chatter of his two best friends.  They were definitely enjoying themselves already and the trip had barely even started.  They would no doubt have a fantastic time.  Or so they thought.  Shinji couldn't help but feel uncertain.  He had a strong feeling in his stomach that something was not quite right about this.  An ethereal feeling of wrongness pervaded his consciousness.  Something was definitely not right about this trip.

            Outside the train, Shinji, Touji, and Kensuke joined the throng of eager students crowding around the small group of adult leaders who looked noticeably overwhelmed.  _They probably didn't expect so many of us, thought Shinji._

            The adults began to divide children into groups.  To Shinji's relief, they were divided by class.  That meant he would be able to stay with Touji and Kensuke.  _And Asuka.  Shinji winced mentally.  Where had that thought come from.  He realized that if Asuka had known that he had had that thought; she would have slapped him into next Tuesday and back._

            The groups were moving out.  Touji walked up timidly to Hikari.  "Would you like me to carry your pack?" he offered shyly.  Shinji held back a chuckle.  Here was Touji, a self proclaimed ladies man, weak in the knees because he was talking to a girl he really liked.  Shinji had realized long ago, that on the subject of girls, Touji was not all that different from him.  Apparently, most men, no matter how big they talked, had a really hard time gathering the confidence needed to share their feelings with a girl they liked.

            All the other girls except Asuka, who rolled her eyes, giggled among themselves.  Hikari smiled at Touji, her cheeks turning red slightly.  "Thank you Touji.  You're a real gentleman."  With that, she handed her pack to him and walked along with her friends.  Touji followed along behind them, now having slung two packs over his shoulder.

            Kensuke tapped Shinji on the shoulder, "She's got him hooked," he whispered into Shinji's ear.  This time, Shinji couldn't stop the chuckle from bursting out of his throat.  Then Kensuke asked, "Are you going to ask Asuka the same thing?"

            "Are you kidding?" hissed Shinji, "Hell would freeze over before she would let me do that."

            "You don't know unless you try," quoted Kensuke.

            "Fine, watch."  Shinji rolled his eyes, walked up and tapped Asuka on the shoulder.

            She whirled around instantly, her mane of red hair flying out behind her.  "What?" she demanded.

            For a moment Shinji's breath caught in his throat.  He hadn't ever realized how beautiful her eyes were, even when she was looking annoyed.  It was all he could do to keep himself from being lost in their depths.  Finally, he managed a response.  "W-w-would you like me to take your pack."  He mentally settled back to wait for the inevitable explosion.

            He was stunned to see a flash of red on Asuka's cheeks.  "Fine," she said quickly, trying successfully to keep an annoyed tone in her voice though her eyes told a different story, "Here."  She held out her backpack.  Shinji was too stunned to act for a second.  But he finally reached out and took it.

            _My God! Shinji exclaimed mentally, __Hell really has frozen over!_

            A few seconds later, Shinji walked alongside Touji and Kensuke while Asuka and Hikari walked in front of them.  "So," said Touji slyly, "Trying to take after the master are we?"

            Shinji didn't justify him with a response.

**End Flashback**:

***

            It all seemed so damn long ago.  Now they were running for their lives from a nameless horror that dogged their every step, forced to flee with nothing but the clothes on their back and since it was their sleeping attire that didn't amount to much.  And Shinji still couldn't figure out where he had seen this scenario before.  It seemed all too familiar.  He was sure he could remember it if he had time to think, but that wasn't a luxury to him right now.

            Shinji looked to see that Asuka was now running alongside him.  They were now at the back of the group.  She looked awful.  It was quite obvious that she had fallen more than once already as she was covered in mud.  It was over her front, covered her legs and even caked in her hair.  What he saw in her eyes stunned him.  It was a look of wordless fear.  Shinji realized that he probably had that same look in his own eyes.

            He couldn't afford to be distracted for long, so he turned his attention back to running.  It wouldn't do for him to stumble at that moment, not when death was almost upon them.  _And things were going so well too,_ he thought mournfully.

***

**Flashback:**

            Setting up camp had been about the hardest thing they had had to do.  After that, what Touji had said before turned out to be correct.  They really did have fun.  After they had arrived at the campsite, the adult leaders seemed to have literally vanished, leaving the children to their own devices.  The boys had organized an impromptu game of soccer in a field not far from their camp.  They divided into teams and played while the girls stood on the sidelines and cheered for their favorites.

            To everyone's surprise, including his own, Shinji performed quite well on the field.  Everything went great until and exasperated shout carried over the cheers and the sounds of the game.

            "Honestly!  You call this soccer!  I could play better than you bakas blindfolded!"  Asuka had decided that she wanted to get in on the action.

            "Then why don't you come out here and prove it?" Touji shouted back.

            "Don't worry stooge, I intend to!"

            Asuka stepped into the game noticeably picking the team Touji was not on.  Shinji praised whoever pulled the strings of fate that he hadn't been on Touji's team.  He had a premonition that this was about to get real ugly.

            Everything happened exactly as Shinji thought it would.  The play was set up to feature the grudge match between Asuka and Touji.  They faced each other at the center of the field for the kick off.  One of the boys, acting as an impromptu referee signaled for them to begin.

            BAM!!!  Shinji rubbed his eyes because he thought that for a moment that Touji had grown invisible wings and had started to fly…backwards!  At least, that's what he thought until Touji landed hard on his back, knocking the wind out of him.  Less than a second later, a scarlet whirlwind that had to be Asuka blazed past the fallen boy.  Two other boys were foolish enough to think they could get on Sohryu's way.  They too soon found themselves airborne for a short period of time before landing painfully.  Asuka took the shot.  The ball streaked like a bullet past the reaching arms of the goalie and between the two bushes that the boys had labeled their improvised goal.

            A shocked silence had fallen on the field as everybody stared wide-eyed at Asuka.  While they knew that she had a mean streak in her, they were shocked at how brutal the German girl really could be.  Asuka clapped her hands together.  "Well that was fun," she stated, "Anybody want to do that again?"  The boys were very quick in agreeing with one another that a trip down to the lake would be a lot more fun than a stupid soccer game.

**End Flashback:**

***

            _If only it could have lasted, thought Shinji as he ran on.  He was starting to feel his legs giving way beneath him.  Surely they had to be near the train station by now.  How far had they hiked to the campsite.  Hikari had said that it had been about five miles.  Shinji wondered exactly how long it would take for them to cover five miles running at full tilt like they were now._

            _We're almost there, he thought hopefully, _We just have to be._  And he _still_ couldn't figure out where he had seen all this before._

***

**Flashback:**

            It had been a long, exciting day.  In the evening they were almost too worn out to cook their dinner for the night.  After dinner, different groups of kids started fires in the fire pits scattered around camps.  With Kensuke's help, Shinji and Touji started one of their own.

            They sat around the crackling blaze, talking about different things.  Shinji felt somewhat distant from it all as he listened to Kensuke bragging about how much footage he had shot that day and Touji complaining about the red menace (you know who).  Then he heard footsteps.  A moment later, Asuka and Hikari joined them.

            "We had trouble getting a fire started," said Hikari as she quickly took a seat next to Touji.  Even Shinji could see that it was simply an excuse to join them.

            Kensuke cleared his throat loudly and announced that he was going to turn in so that he would be ready for an early start the next morning.  Shinji and Touji bid him good night rather gratefully.

            Once Kensuke was gone, Hikari snuggled up against Touji, who blushed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  She flinched as she felt metal pieces moving under artificial skin.  It was the prosthetic, the limb he had lost when Unit 01 had destroyed Touji's Eva.  However, she was able to relax after a moment.

            Shinji was astonished a few seconds later, when he felt the weight of someone leaning against him.  Looking over, he saw that Asuka was doing something similar to what Hikari had done.  Shinji's cheeks turned bright red and he froze.  Then, he gently wrapped and arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.  Asuka didn't push him away.

            They stayed like that for quite a while.  Shinji noticed that across the fire, Hikari had dozed off leaning against Touji.  And though he was trying to stop himself, Touji's eyes were drooping as well.

            Shinji felt Asuka move.  Looking down, he saw that she had turned her head so that she could look at him.  "Shinji," she said, her voice barely a whisper, "I j… I just… I just wanted to say…thank you."

            Shinji felt his face go very red.  "For what?"  He was flabbergasted.  Asuka Langley Sohryu, the girl of a million insults, the red headed demon of Germany, was thanking him.  He was so stunned that those two words were all he could think of to say.

            She smiled, her eyes shinning with gentle amusement.  "Baka," she said jokingly.  Shinji had never seen her like this.  He was amazed by just how beautiful she could look.  "Thank you for everything you've done for me.  For staying with me, even when I ignored you, called you names, teased you insulted you, hurt you, even when I told you I that I hated you.  You didn't let me go.  You helped me to see who I really was and why I mattered.  You were there for me even when things were hardest for you, like the fourteenth Angel.  I just didn't want to believe that I had lost.  But now I see you didn't come back because I lost.  All that mattered was that you cared for me, you cared for everyone, you didn't care that I had lost, you just couldn't stand to see me or anyone else hurt.  I see that now Shinji.  I can't thank you enough."

            Shinji had finally begun to understand.  Asuka was recognizing that her life didn't just revolve around piloting Eva.  She had realized that there were people who didn't care what her synch scores were.  She had realized that she didn't care anymore.  Then he saw Asuka moving closer.  He lost himself in her beautiful blue eyes.  _This is it,_ he realized, _This__ is really happening.  Their lips came closer together.  They were about to touch._

            KABOOM!  They sprang apart like frightened animals.  Across the fire, Touji and Hikari awoke in a similar fashion, jumping to their feet.  Shinji realized that they had heard thunder.  Then it began to rain.  There was no warning, no beginning drizzle, no being pelted by a few drops.  It came down all at once, a terrific deluge that soaked them all while dousing the fire in mere seconds.  It was a few more seconds before the reality of the situation dawned on the four children.  Then, they rushed to their tents having finally figured out what was going on.

            Touji and Shinji stumbled into the tent they were sharing with Kensuke dripping wet.  The tent was quite roomy fortunately.  Shinji stood upright just in time to catch a towel right in the face.  Next to him, Touji was also smacked by a flying towel.  "Dry off before you two get water all over everything."  Kensuke was in his sleeping bag, sitting upright watching them with a smile of genuine amusement on his face.  An evil grin appeared on his face.  "Did that storm interrupt something?" he inquired slyly.

            Shinji and Touji were blushing very hard as they worked to dry themselves off.  Kensuke laughed and lay down.  After drying themselves off, the other two boys went to their respective sleeping bags.  Only after laying down did Shinji really begin to appreciate how tired he was.  His eyes dropped like shutters and he was asleep almost instantly.

**End Flashback:**

***

            Shinji's breath was coming in ragged gasps.  Next to him he could hear Asuka having similar respiratory problems.  He was beginning to doubt they would ever make it.  Behind him he heard what could be mistaken for the sound of rumbling thunder.  Only thunder didn't sound constantly.  Nor did thunder move on four stick-like legs.

            Shinji bashed his toes against another rock on the trail.  This time he went down.  Shinji struggled, trying to get his footing on the slippery mud.  He only succeeded in flopping himself onto his back.  He looked up just in time to see the shadow that had fallen over him…

***

**Flashback:**

            It had come without warning.  It had to have been at least 1:00 in the morning.  Shinji was sleeping peacefully, dreaming of… well, you know.  He was snapped back into reality by a scream.  It was high, but it definitely belonged to a boy.  He wasn't sure what about the scream had woken him up, it wasn't very loud.  But Shinji was almost instantly aware of the horror that was being carried by that shriek.  Beside him, he saw Touji and Kensuke slowly coming to their senses.

            Touji was up first.  Shinji had bolted out of the tent and into the pouring rain to see what was going on.  The instant he was out, he wished he hadn't.  The boy who had screamed was bolting down the trail back to the parking lot as fast as his feet could carry him.  Looking towards the other side of the clearing, Shinji saw why.

            There they were row upon row of them.  Praying mantises only swelled up to an enormous size.  The smallest were maybe about two meters tall.  Others were bigger, some were much bigger.  There must have been hundreds of the monsters.  The front rows were occupied by several two meter specimens, but Shinji could see some much larger examples not far back.

            Shinji did the first thing that came to mind.  Fortunately, his training as an Eva pilot hadn't been completely lost upon him.  "Everybody up!" he screamed.  A second later, he regretted what he had done as first one, then several bulbous heads with equally bulbous multifaceted eyes turned to regard him.

            Fortunately, Shinji's cry had been heard.  He heard several people moving in the tents around and behind him.  Touji stumbled out of his, rubbing his head.  "What's going…HOLY SHIT!"  His eyes swelled up to the size of dinner plates when he saw the creatures looking at them.

            "LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" he roared at the top of his lungs.  He rushed into the tent long enough to grab a still groggy Kensuke and drag him out.  Kensuke was complaining while adjusting the glasses he had hastily put on his nose.  His voice caught in his throat when he saw the reason for his rude awakening.

            Fear did what could normally only be done by a truckload of pure caffeine.  Kensuke must have set a land speed record in bolting for the trail.  Touji did not follow his friend.  Instead, he rushed over to Hikari and Asuka's tent.  He started shaking the tent for all he was worth.  "Hikari wake up!"

            The door of the tent opened slowly and Hikari stuck her head out, her eyes half closed.  "Touji wha…" she managed to stammer before he grabbed her wrist and yanked her out of the tent and towards the trail.

            Shinji was rushing around the camp, shaking every tent he could reach and shaking their occupants into wakefulness.

            Hikari had finally recovered the presence of mind enough to exclaim, "Touji what are you doing!?"

            "Just keep going!" shouted Touji, pulling on her arm with all his might, "We have to get out of here."

            "Why?" demanded Hikari tartly.

            Touji stopped, grabbed her by her shoulders and spun her around.  "That's why."

            Hikari's eyes widened and she suddenly didn't struggle so much.

            Shinji was sure that he had finished shaking every tent in the camp.  His fellow students were very quick to catch onto why they had been so rudely awakened.  He was sure that all of them were now on the trail back to civilization.  Despite this, Shinji was worried because of the one face he hadn't seen.  _Asuka!  Where is Asuka?_  He rushed to her tent and threw open the tent flaps.  Asuka lay in her sleeping bag, clad in only her sleeping clothes which Shinji noticed left little to the imagination.  "Asuka!" he shouted.  The rumble outside had intensified.  Looking out of the tent, Shinji's heart nearly stopped.  The mantises were advancing.

            Meanwhile, Asuka was finally waking up.  "Wha," she murmured groggily, "Shinji?"  Then her eyes snapped wide open.  "YOU PERVERT!" she shrieked.  She was about to scream a whole onslaught of insults at him but Shinji had decided that now wasn't the time to listen to her ranting.  Instead he grabbed her wrist and yanked her to her feet and out of the tent, dragging her away towards the trail.

            "LET GO OF ME YOU PERVERT!" she shrieked with all her might.

            "Asuka look behind you," said Shinji simply as she raised a hand with which to slap him.  Asuka did look.  Her face turned whiter than Rei's and soon she and Shinji were bolting down the trail with every ounce of speed they could manage.  Behind them the rumble followed.  The monsters were giving chase.

**End Flashback:**

***

            The beast stood over the fallen Shinji.  Shinji could see no remorse, no emotion at all in those eerie multifaceted eyes.  All he could see was plain, simple hunger.  The mantis's mandibles opened and closed and saliva dripped from its maw.  It raised its sickle shaped claws over its head, preparing to plunge them into Shinji's flesh.

            A shadow appeared in front of him.  Shinji gasped when he saw the flash of red hair.  "Asuka no!" he shouted.  The mantis didn't seem to care who it killed so long as it had one of them.  _I never got to tell her,_ he thought.

            Something streaked over their heads.  Shinji looked up and saw that something hit the mantis right between the eyes.  The monster's head burst into a shower of black bodily fluids.  The creature's lifeless body sagged to the ground.  Seconds later, strong hands helped Shinji to his feet and supported him while they ran towards the now visible parking lot.

            Not only had they made it, but help had arrived in the form of the JSSDF.  In front of Shinji stood a line of men, pointing portable rocket launchers at the forest behind them.  As he watched, one of the men fired, the rocket streaked into the forest.  The blast of its impact briefly illuminated a broken insect figure.  As they made it past the line of men, Shinji felt the arms holding him up drop away.  Before he could collapse, someone else's arms infolded him in a strong embrace.

            "Shinji!" Misato's relieved voice sounded in his ears.  She held him tightly.  Despite the fact that this pressed his head against her ample bosom, he was too tired to do anything except lean into the hug.  Then something else caught Misato's attention.  "Asuka!" she cried, nearly dropping Shinji and pulling the exhausted second child into the embrace.

            A gargantuan shadow fell over the group.  Shinji looked up to behold the largest praying mantis he had seen yet.  This specimen had to be fifty meters tall at least.  Instead of walking the giant insect flew on huge wings that flapped so fast that they blurred like the blades of a helicopter.  As he watched in horror, the soldiers fired rockets at the thing to no avail.  It raised its claw to deal the fatal blow…

            Only to be stopped by the progressive knife that had suddenly been buried up to its hilt in the monster's head.

            A massive impact shook the ground and the loud thump reverberated through Tokyo 3.  The line of soldiers parted to make room for the massive object that took their place.  Shinji looked into the behemoth countenance of Unit 14.

            "Hey," quipped Ishiro, "Those knives are actually good for something."  His voice was amplified by the Eva's external speakers so that everyone around him heard his little joke.  Despite the night's events, Shinji couldn't help but chuckle at Saegusa's antics.

            In Unit 14, Ishiro suddenly found that he had very little time to make jokes as not one, but five of the massive fifty meter creatures that he had not long ago dubbed Kamacuras converged on his Eva from the air.  "Here we go Erika," he muttered as the handles of the Evangelion's AT blades unfolded from the Eva's wrists and flared into being.

            The creatures displayed no sense of tactics whatsoever.  With a simple flick of the Eva's wrist, the first Kamacuras was beheaded as it came within striking distance.  At the same time, the second blade flicked out to cleave a second one in half right down the middle.  Two more Kamacuras came in behind their fallen comrades.  Ishiro positioned his Eva neatly between them, holding the blades out to his sides.  The mindless insects were so daft and so slow to compensate, they ran themselves onto the blades, slicing them apart in almost nothing flat.

            The fifth and final one came straight at Unit 14.  Ishiro chuckled.  It was so easy.  He merely made the Eva swing its arms inward, turning the swords into a giant pair of scissors, which neatly and efficiently snipped off the kaiju's head.

            "And now for the rest of them," he said.  His Eva stepped forward and he was rewarding by the wet crunch of exoskeletons crumbling under the impact.  "Whoops," he said innocently.

***

            Several hours later, the sounds of explosions and gunfire died away and the sun was beginning to rise over the hills in the east.  The rain had finally let up.  Apparently, the soldiers had finished off the remaining Kamacuras.  Ishiro and Unit 14 had been called in on three occasions to handle nests of exceptionally large ones.  These larger Kamacuras were easy kills for the battle hardened Evangelion.

            Shinji and Asuka sat sullenly on the bumper of Misato's car, blankets wrapped around their wet, shivering forms.  Misato was taking care of a few things before she took them home for the night.  Frankly, she was quite envious of the two children.  The Kamacuras themselves paled in comparison to the mountain of paperwork Misato was going to have to deal with when she headed back into the office.  She sighed.  This was going to be one of those nights.

            Ishiro stayed behind while Unit 14 disappeared down one of the many elevators into the Geofront.  He joined Shinji and Asuka.

            "How are you two doing?" he asked.

            "Tired," groaned Shinji.  Beside him, Asuka nodded.

            "I'm sorry guys," said Ishiro gently, "This is my fault.  I should have made sure NERV did a more thorough job cleaning up the forest."

            "How do you know that this is your fault," demanded Asuka sternly.

            "I just got back the report on the samples I sent into the lab.  Dr. Akagi did a full analysis and confirmed my suspicions.  The Kamacuras had traces of G-cells."  He sighed.  "It's almost impossible to be completely thorough on an almost microscopic level.  Just one missed cell could set in motion an entire catastrophe just like the one we had today."

            "It's okay," reassured Shinji, "We'll be fine after we clean up and rest a little."

            "Thanks," said Ishiro, obviously relieved, "I'll make it up to you."

            "You owe me a shopping trip 6th Child," said Asuka, smiling evilly.

            "He said he would make it up to us," Shinji reminded her, "Not submit to cruel and unusual punishment."

            His remark was met with a gasp from everyone who had been listening.  Misato, who had been coming up behind Ishiro froze in her tracks.  To say that she was gaping was an understatement.  Shinji was sure that he could see her jaw stretching all the way down to the pavement of the parking lot.  Silence reigned.

            "Did I just hear…baka Shinji …make a joke!" stammered Asuka from next to him.

            Shinji looked around.  He was not used to being to center of attention and his remark seemed to have put him on center stage.  He couldn't help but blush slightly.

            Finally, the absurdity of the situation got to Ishiro Saegusa.  He broke down laughing at the complete and utter state of shock everyone else was in.  Shinji joined Ishiro in laughing, then Asuka and Misato.  After regaining their composure, all four of them piled into Misato's car.  Ishiro sat up front next to Misato while Shinji and Asuka piled in back.  The little blue car accelerated, kicking up dust and debris, and tore out of the parking lot, leaving a mass of still gaping soldiers behind it.

            Ishiro held on for dear life, wondering if even a seat belt could save his life at this stage.  Despite their vast amount of experience with Misato's driving, both Shinji and Asuka had to hold on for all they were worth.

            "Are you drunk!?" Ishiro exclaimed as another burst of acceleration pinned him to his seat.

            "Actually yes!" Misato yelled back at him.  Ishiro went white as a sheet.

            "You should see her when she's sober," remarked Asuka glumly from the back.

            Misato scowled.  Seconds later the car lurched one way, then another, nearly tipping it over.  Asuka shut up rather quickly after that.

            Not long afterwards, they arrived at the personnel entrance to headquarters.  "This is where I get off," said Ishiro, actually sounding quite relieved.  He stepped out of the car and ran his security card over the scanner.  The door slid open and he disappeared inside.

            Misato turned to look back at her charges.  "Well, time to get you guys home."  _Am I seeing things,_ she wondered, _Or__ does Shinji seem a little green?_

            Several sharp, gut wrenching turns later, they arrived at their apartment with the screech of rubber scraping against pavement.  The three of them rode the elevator up.  Misato opened the door for the two children.  As soon as the door opened, Shinji rushed into their apartment, not bothering to remove his shoes at the door and bolted straight to the bathroom.  Apparently, an evening of giant man-eating praying mantises coupled with a five mile sprint in addition to Misato's driving had taken their toll on the boy as he emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet.

            "Oh dear," said Misato innocently, "I do hope he's alright.  After all, I was just about to cook…"

            It was now Asuka's turn to bolt.  Her constitution was stronger than Shinji's, but an evening of giant man-eating praying mantises coupled with a five mile sprint in addition to Misato's driving coupled with the threat of Misato's _cooking proved to be too much for even her.  Misato heard her shout; "Move over baka!" and a loud thump followed by the sounds of Asuka emptying the contents of her own stomach.  Misato's scowl returned as the meaning of the children's actions.  __Those_ little…__

            After they had finished their unpleasant business in the bathroom, the two children joined Misato in the living room.  By now, Misato had calmed down.  "Why don't you two get something to eat, get cleaned up and go to bed," Misato suggested, "I have to go in today and tackle the paperwork from last night."  She grinned wryly, "I should be done in about a year or two."

            The children laughed with her and went off to fix themselves an early breakfast.  After a breakfast of toast and jam, Asuka went into the shower.  Almost half an hour later, she left the bathroom and disappeared into her room.  Then it was Shinji's turn.  Shinji, unlike Asuka, stayed in the shower for barely ten minutes before he was done.  After he returned to his room, Shinji got into his sleeping attire and crawled under the covers of his bed.  Moments later, Asuka entered the room and crawled into her own bed.  The two children were asleep instantly, the strain of the night's events having taken their toll on them.

            Misato sighed as she turned off the living room lights and headed for the front door.  She might as well get started on that paperwork.  The city authorities and committees and subcommittees and etc would want a complete and thorough explanation of where the Kamacuras had come from and why NERV had somehow failed to notice a swarm of giant man-eating praying mantises lurking in what was literally their own backyard.  Not to mention that the press was going to have a field day with this information.  Misato could already see the headlines…INCOMPETENCE AT NERV NEARLY COSTS THE LIVES OF THIRTY CHILDREN…or something along those lines.  Misato knew that she was probably going to be at headquarters until late at night.  Fortunately, none of the children had been killed or even seriously injured.  If one or more had, there would be hell to pay, both in paperwork and on her conscience.  _At least Shinji and Asuka are alright, she thought, __I can't bear to think what I would do had either of my children been hurt._

            Misato suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, her train of thought halted by the realization of the meaning of the words "my children."  Misato was finally realizing what it meant to be a mother.  She sighed, shrugged and decided to give it more thought after she had taken care of the paperwork.  She stepped out the door, which hissed shut behind her.

            In the kitchen, the door of the second fridge hissed open and Pen Pen stuck his head out, looking around for the source of the recent racket.  Finding nothing, the penguin squawked irritably and pulled his head back into the comfortably chilly confines of his room and closed the door.

***

            It was early in the afternoon when Shinji's eyes finally opened.  Light was seeping in under the closed blinds of his window.  Looking to his left, Shinji saw the face of the peacefully sleeping Asuka who lay on the other bed.

            _She's so beautiful when she sleeps, Shinji thought, not for the first time.  He could tell by her relaxed posture and the blissful look on her face that she had either not had any nightmares, or was simply untroubled by the ones that she did have._

            Shinji sat up slowly and was rewarded for his efforts by the almost deafening sound of his empty stomach demanding sustenance.  Shinji carefully got out of bed and worked his way around Asuka's, trying not to wake her from her slumber.  Taking his clothes, Shinji went into the bathroom to change and take another quick shower.  He came out feeling fresh, but still a little drowsy, and ready to face the remainder of the day.

            After depositing his clothes back in his room, Shinji went into the kitchen.  There, he faced the debate of cooking lunch, which would have been more appropriate given the time of day, or fixing something like breakfast, which felt more natural as he had only just woken up.  In the end, Shinji decided on the latter, breakfast being much easier to prepare than lunch, despite the fact that he had already had breakfast once much earlier in the day.  He subconsciously knew that Asuka probably would not object to the idea either.

            As he prepared some toast and cereal, Asuka entered the room.  Quietly, she seated herself at the table and watched him work.  Her expression was unreadable.  After he had finished preparing the first serving of toast and cereal, Shinji set it before her.  He also poured a glass of orange juice from the fridge and set it next to the food.

            For a moment, Asuka simply stared blankly at the food in front of her.  Her mind was sluggishly trying to process her thoughts.  _Why is he always so nice to me? she wondered in all honesty.  She insulted him, abused him, and even used him, and he still treated her with dignity and respect and even affection.  She decided to set her musings aside and began to eat her "breakfast."_

            Shinji finished his own serving of toast and cereal and set it across from Asuka.  After getting himself some juice, Shinji settled into the chair across from Asuka.  For a moment, he hesitated to begin eating, carefully watching Asuka.  She was eating as fast as she possibly could.  Even when the girl was stuffing herself, Shinji was amazed by how beautiful she still looked.  Blushing at the thought, he looked away quickly and began to eat his own breakfast.

            After their eating, Asuka and Shinji went into the living room.  Shinji sat down on the couch and flinched reflexively as Asuka settled down next to him.  Asuka picked up the remote and turned on the television.  She surfed channels for a little while and found a movie that she liked.  She set the remote down and the two children began to watch the movie.  Shinji smiled and stifled a chuckle as he realized just what kind of movie this was.  It finally brought to him an answer as to why the events of the previous night had seemed so familiar.  It had been just like a scene from those cheap horror movies.  It was so obvious.  Shinji had to choke back his laughter so as not to disturb Asuka.

            Slowly, gradually, Asuka began to lean against Shinji.  At first, Shinji flinched slightly and blushed, but he gradually grew accustomed to her weight resting against his side and began to lean back.  As movie ran on, the two adolescents rested against one another, each taking solace in the other's proximity.

***

            Ishiro looked mournfully at the clock in his lab.  He was exhausted.  He had been working all day yesterday and was preparing for another all-nighter at the lab when he had been called to pilot the Eva against the Kamacuras.  After that had been taken care of, Ishiro found that he had a lot more to do now that these new kaiju had appeared.  Of course, they would have to be analyzed and catalogued and their cells examined.  This of course, was added to his workload of deciphering the secrets of Godzilla's genetic structure.  And Ishiro was still no closer to understanding the regenerative powers of the King of the Monsters.  Furthermore, because he was convinced that these praying mantises had been mutated due to exposure to G-Cells (as he had anticipated earlier), he would have to study the changes instigated by the G-Cells on their cell structure.

            Fortunately, unlike most such cases, Ishiro would be able to put off this particular chore.  A blessing had come down from the mountains with the military.  They had brought with them a fantastic gift; a live Kamacuras for him to study.  Though it was only two meters, the size of some of its brethren convinced Ishiro that it would soon become much larger.  Thus, he was able to procure permission from Commander Ikari and Dr. Akagi to order technicians to begin work on modifying one of the spare holding cages to contain the Kamacuras.

            So Ishiro forged ahead with fortitude that would have impressed even Dr. Akagi.  However, she was busy in other matters, leaving Ishiro to do his work alone.  He sighed sadly; such was his lot in life.  But as the hours wore on, Ishiro's strength began to waver and his eyes began to droop.  Finally, having finished prodding through another slide on his microscope, Ishiro slowly made out a note to book the organization's electron microscope at the next available opportunity.  Having finished the note, the pencil slowly slipped out from between Ishiro's fingers.  His eyes closed and he sagged forward, resting his head on the desk where he had been working and began to doze.

***

            Shinji slowly turned his head to look at Asuka.  She was leaning against him, her eyes staring into space.  It was clear that she was paying the movie they had been watching no mind.  It was the third movie they had sat through that evening.

            "Asuka?" he asked softly, "Are you okay?"

            Asuka looked back at him and smiled gently and nodded.  Shinji's heart raced.  She just looked so beautiful when she smiled like that.  It wasn't the usual plotting or haughty look she usually wore.  Shinji found himself once again drawn into her deep blue eyes.  Ever so slowly, he began to move his head towards hers and was surprised to find that she was doing likewise.

            This time, there was no booming of thunder or sudden pelting of rain to halt them as their lips met.  The kiss they shared was gentle and brief.  When they parted, both children were turning a brilliant shade of scarlet.  After they parted, Asuka rested her head against Shinji's chest.  Shinji responded by taking her in his arms and holding her close.  For a moment, they rested like that, Asuka listening to Shinji's heart beating, and Shinji breathing in the scent of her freshly shampooed hair.

            For a while neither of them spoke.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Asuka looked up into the face of the boy she suddenly found that she had grown to love and smiled mischievously.  "I'm hungry baka."

***

            _It rested at the bottom of the sea.  Of course it was now nothing more than a slowly decaying corpse, rotting away from the inside out as the soft parts went first.  It had been that way for more than ten years now.  There was very little left of it._

_            Suddenly, the ground around the body flared with brilliant gold light.  A loud hissing of released energy surged through the water as power flowed where there had been none, restoring the fire of life to where it had been snuffed out.  Gradually, the golden glow of the surrounding water infused with the body and the body began to glow as well.  The flare of light quickly intensified to the point of becoming blinding…_

***

            Ishiro Saegusa snapped into wakefulness.  That had been quite an unusual dream he had had.  Looking around, Saegusa assured himself that he was still in the familiar confines of his lab and not on the bottom of the sea.  With a sigh of relief, he looked at the clock and noticed that he had been dozing for about an hour.

            Instead of continuing his work, Ishiro pondered his strange dream.  The last time he had had a dream similar to that, Godzilla had come ashore at Tokyo 3.  His mother once told him that her clairvoyant visions came to her in dreams.  However, the dream was rapidly becoming hazy to him and he had trouble remembering the details.  He wondered just what the object was that had become infused with the golden light.

            Ishiro sighed, shrugged, and returned to his work without any further hesitation.  There was still much to do.

***

            At the bottom of the sea, the dead became living.  The massive black object that had lain still for so many years had drawn on the power of its creator to live again in order to fulfill a new purpose.  No longer did it exist to punish, but to rescue.  With this new purpose, the dark guardian lived once more.

Author's notes: Thank you all for being so patient with me.  I don't think I'll ever use the repeated flashback ever again.  My pre-reader (sort of) didn't like it.  But then, despite the fact she likes to read this story she seems of have a low opinion of fanfiction in general.  Oh well.  Just as a warning, the next chapter is going to be pretty long.


	9. Battle on the High Seas: The Dark Guardi...

This is the longest chapter I've posted to date.  It runs for more than twenty pages on Microsoft Word.  This chapter borrows a lot of elements from Episode 8 from the Evangelion series, only this time, the battleships are going the other way.  I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and it uses one of my other favorite kaiju.  I just hope you don't get too bored reading it.

Disclaimer: Okay I admit it…I really do own Evangelion and Godzilla!  Just kidding.

**Chapter 9: **Battle on the High Seas: The Dark Guardian Arises

            "The situation grows more desperate by the day!" exclaimed Seele 09, "First Godzilla returns.  Then Anguirus, Manda, and the Kamacuras.  With each one our plans for third impact slip further from our fingers."

            "Not to mention the additional machinations of Commander Ikari and his new Unit 14," added another member of the counsel.

            "Let us not forget this strange human known as Ishiro Saegusa," commented Seele 01, "It seems at times that he himself is also aware of our plans and actively moves to thwart them."  Different members of Seele began to add their own comments in turn.

            "If we do not act soon, all of our plans will be for naught."

            "We must complete the Eva series and strike while the time is ripe.  We must seize all the components for the Instrumentality of Man in NERV's possession."

            Then, Seele 01 spoke, silencing his fellows.  "Bide our time.  That is what we must do.  The Eva series is already complete.  However, as things stand, using them now would be fruitless and futile.  For now we must wait until the opportunity presents itself.  And it will."

***

            "Let me get this straight," said Misato, thoroughly flustered, "You want me to select an Eva and pilot, and take them to America."

            "That's correct," replied Ritsuko without looking up from the paperwork on her desk."

            "Care to tell me why?"

            Ritsuko sighed and looked up at her friend.  "Remember the Jet Alone project?"

            "You mean the walking nuclear reactor that went berserk?"

            "Yes that one.  The American branch of the company heading the project is showcasing their latest Jet Alone model in the Nevada desert.  However, they want to demonstrate that the Jet Alone is superior to the Evas by holding a combat trial between the two of them.  So they invited us to supply our best Eva and pilot to participate in a combat test against the Jet Alone."

            "Are they crazy?" exclaimed Misato, "There's no way the Jet Alone could ever handle an Eva.  They wouldn't have a snowflakes chance in hell of even getting past the AT field."

            "Wherein our problem lies," said Ritsuko, "The new MK II Jet Alone model carry's a new weapon named the AT Buster.  It's designed specifically to pierce AT fields and still do substantial damage to the target."

            "How does it work?" asked Misato.

            "They haven't released that information to us.  We have no idea how this weapon works or even if it actually does.  That might be one of the reasons they want a combat trial."  Misato could only nod.

            "I take it that our choice is Saegusa then," said Misato.  Ritsuko nodded in agreement.

            "He does have the highest synch ratio and the best combat record," she stated.

            "But can we get him away from his work long enough to do a trans-pacific trip and back?"

            "We'll have to see about that."

***

            Godzilla snorted as he was awakened from his slumber amid the shattered buildings of Old Tokyo.  The black leviathan shifted his massive bulk and raised his head to better survey his territory.  He inhaled the air deeply, trying to discern the myriad of different scents that passed through his nostrils.  The air stank of…intruder.  Godzilla, his atomic heart replenished by the radioactivity of the air around him, slipped into the water and disappeared beneath the waves to police his territory.

***

            Ishiro looked up from his lab work and eyed Ritsuko warily.  "You want me to just drop everything and hop the next flight to America?"  He raised a questioning eyebrow.  Even though it was rather early in the morning, Ishiro was in the lab, already pouring over all the data he had amassed on Godzilla's genetic structure.

            "Actually, you would be traveling with the Pacific fleet on the carrier _Over the Rainbow with your Eva."_

            "And all this for a combat trial in Nevada?"

            Ritsuko nodded.  She had not expected Ishiro to be happy about the idea.  But if anyone was to go, he would be the one.  She knew that he had the best chance of proving that the Evas were superior to Jet Alone.

            "Well then I should start packing," said Ishiro, smiling, "I've been needing something resembling a vacation for a while.  The G-cells can wait for now."

            Ritsuko was taken aback.  She had thought that he would be reluctant and hesitant to leave his work.  But she realized that for a long time now, she had been looking at him as a fellow scientist, not a fourteen-year-old boy who needed to get out once in awhile.  After recovering from her surprise, Ritsuko nodded.  Ishiro didn't waste any time in leaving to get ready.

            As he left, Ishiro remarked, "We pilots obviously don't get a vacation plan.  I'll need to talk to the Commander about a salary next."

            "And if you don't mind me saying so," commented Ritsuko, "You certainly look like you could use a vacation."

            She wasn't kidding.  Ishiro's body still looked to be in good condition even though the majority of his activity seemed to consist of sitting in a chair and looking through a microscope or some other instrument.  However, it was clear that the strain was taking its toll on the boy.  His eyes were slightly red from lack of sleep and had bags under them.  His skin, which had been a healthy tan shade when he had first arrived, had turned almost as pale as Ayanami's from all the time he had been staying indoors.  Ishiro definitely needed to get out more.

            Ishiro chuckled at her remark as he left.

***

            "I can't believe they didn't pick me," lamented Asuka as she took a sip from her tea.  She threw a glare Ishiro's way.  "And don't even try to say anything about it being about Unit 02's dependence on umbilical power."

            "Then I won't," replied Ishiro without batting an eyelid.

            "Don't worry about it Asuka," said Shinji, gently laying his hand over her own.  After their brief kiss the other night, the two of them had been careful not to openly show their newly discovered affection for one another in public.  However, Shinji felt that it was alright for Ishiro to see that they had grown closer.  In fact, he seemed to already know their feelings for one another.  Also, for some strange reason, Shinji suspected that Ishiro somehow had a hand in their getting together.  
            Ishiro had stumbled upon (or so he claimed) Shinji and Asuka at a local café where they had been enjoying a light lunch (it was Saturday).  Without hesitating, he told them about how he and Unit 14 were supposed to go to America to fight in a combat trial against the latest Jet Alone model.  This, of course, brought back memories of the original Jet Alone which had gone berserk in Old Tokyo.  Only the desperate actions of Shinji and Misato managed to bring the robot to a halt and prevent its imminent meltdown.  Asuka, for obvious reasons, was less than enthusiastic about the idea.

            "Besides Asuka," encouraged Ishiro, "It would be insulting for them to send you to waste your time crushing a walking tin can."

            Asuka nodded imperiously and her two friends held back chuckles.  "And don't you forget it," she said only half seriously.

            "Besides," added Ishiro, "You two will be able to join me once they actually depart from the harbor.  And bring a friend or three along, it'll be nice to have something of a holiday that won't be ruined by giant rampaging, man-eating insects."

            "Speaking of which," commented Shinji, "What about the one you were able to capture?"

            "Oh him," said Ishiro airily, referring to the Kamacuras that the military had managed to take alive, "He's growing like a weed.  I'm glad we had that spare Eva cage that we could modify to contain him."

            "How big is he now?" inquired Asuka.

            "Fifteen meters tall and climbing," replied Ishiro, "And my suspicions about the G-cells were right too."

            "What does that mean?" asked Shinji rather dully.

            "It means, baka, that the Kamacuras were created by the incorporation of G-cells into the genetic structure of a praying mantis."

            Ishiro nodded and took another sip of his tea.  "So when do you leave?" asked Shinji quickly.

            "Monday morning, bright and early," said Ishiro happily.

            "Don't get too excited about it," grumbled Asuka, "If I recall correctly, the Admiral wasn't too happy about the last time he transported an Eva."

            "Oh there's no need to worry about him," replied Ishiro chuckling, "I think the Admiral has reconsidered his position on the Evas after he saw your Unit 02 do what the entire Pacific fleet couldn't."  He pushed back his chair and stood up.  "Anyway," he said, "I need to get home and start packing."  With that, he left the other two children alone with their thoughts.

***

            Kensuke nearly put his head through the ceiling when the phone rang; he was so startled.  After all, the last thing you hope to get when you're hacking into confidential files is a phone call.  As usual, Kensuke had hacked into his father's records for the latest military gossip.  A sly smile sprang onto his face when he noticed that Ishiro Saegusa seemed to be the name that was on everyone's mind.  Many of his father's coworkers were amazed at how fast Ishiro had made himself indispensable to NERV in ways other than his ability to pilot an Eva.  Kensuke had just been browsing through the latest report filed by his father when the phone had rung.

            Kensuke, after gathering his wits about him, picked up the phone.  "Hello?"

            "Kensuke?"  Shinji's voice came over the line.

            Kensuke exploded.  "Jeese Shinji, you almost gave me a heart attack."

            "Sorry," Shinji's voice carried no hint of the usual shame that he felt when he apologized, "Looking through your dad's files again."  Had Kensuke imagined it, or did Shinji's voice sound slightly amused.

            "Um," said Kensuke, frantically trying to come up with an answer.  Over the phone is not the best way to mention to someone that you've been going through sensitive government information.  Finally, he came up with his only defense, changing the subject.  "That's beside the point.  Why did you call me?"

            Shinji seemed all too ready to drop the subject himself.  "Remember when we went out to the Pacific fleet to meet Asuka."

            "Yeah," replied Kensuke quickly.  How could he forget?  That had been one of the most fun and bizarre experiences of his life.  Well, aside from the recent experience of being chased by a swarm of ravenous man-eating praying mantises.

            "Well, the Pacific fleet is going to ferry Ishiro and Unit 14 over to the U.S. for a combat trial.  We're gonna hook up with him once the fleet leaves the harbor.  I was wondering if you wanted to come along."  Shinji's voice was hesitant.  On the other end of the line, the boy was counting down on his fingers until the imminent explosion.  Three…two…one…

            "ARE YOU KIDDING?!" exploded Kensuke, "OF COURSE I WANT TO COME!  I WOULDN'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD!"

            _I kind of thought so, thought Shinji smugly.  "Well, then you'll want to meet us at the airport Tuesday morning.  I'll ask Misato to call you with more detailed instructions."  He hung up as quickly as he could, trying to get away before Kensuke started to rant._

***

            Ishiro neatly packed the few personal belongings he thought he would need for the trip.  After he packed clothes and toiletries, he made sure he had enough tools and parts to make sure that he could properly maintain his prosthetic hand.  After that, Ishiro made a quick trip to a grocery store and bought a large number of snacks.  Military food isn't all it's cracked up to be (which is really saying something).

            Finally, after he had packed Ishiro threw himself onto his bed, musing about his recent dreams.  As he stared up at the ceiling, his eyes slipped into the infrared spectrum.  After finally having his fill of eavesdropping on Asuka's dreams, Ishiro found himself bombarded by visions of his own.  It was all very disconcerting.  However, none of his dreams were of the same subject matter as Asuka's.  And furthermore, they didn't carry anywhere near the same sense of urgency or dread that Asuka's did which led him to two conclusions.  First, the visions he had had were more imminent but not as important in the long run.  Second, Asuka's dreams warned of a far greater threat than his mind had ever envisioned on its own.

***

            The next morning, Ishiro checked into headquarters.  He arranged with personnel to have his lab equipment along with several G-cell samples loaded into crates to be checked with the luggage he was taking with him on the carrier.  Ritsuko apparently caught wind of this and showed up at his lab while he was supervising the packing of all his equipment.

            "I thought you were going to try to get away from all this," she remarked as she stood next to him.

            "It's hard for me to put this kind of work down," explained Ishiro, "Particularly when I'm so close to the solution.  I can feel it.  I've almost worked out the secret to Godzilla's regeneration.  A few more hours of study and I should have it."

            "You're that close?" inquired a surprised Ritsuko.  Ishiro nodded.

            "I was really onto something the last time I was working.  I'm almost there."

            "Well," said Ritsuko, a bemused look crossing her face, "Don't hurt yourself."

***

            Half an hour later, Ritsuko made her way into the holding cage.  Maya was already there, making some final system adjustments.  Standing in front of them, submerged up to its face in cryogenic fluid, was Unit 00.  The restored Eva looked much the same as it always had.  However, this time it possessed a new feature.  Instead of its normal blue armor, it was bone white.  The artificial diamond armor refracted the light giving it blue highlights.

            "Everything checking out?" inquired Ritsuko, looking over Maya's shoulder at the data screens.

            "So far, everything's working fine," said Maya, nodding, "Better in fact.  This new armor is over 50% stronger than the original armor for Unit 00."

            "What about the new weapon?"

            "The plasma cannon is 62% complete," replied Maya, "So far, all of Ishiro's ideas are working out wonderfully.  It's too bad we didn't think about this back when the Angels were the problem."

            Ritsuko nodded.  "It sure would have been easier if we could have captured the energy of their own attacks and turned it back against them."  She rested a gentle hand on her protégé's shoulder.  "We'll have Rei do her synch test tomorrow monrning."  Ritsuko looked out the windows at Unit 00.  _Are you still in there…mother?_

***

            On Monday morning, Ishiro woke up bright and early and dressed for the day.  Outside the building, he met a car sent by NERV to pick him up and deliver him to the docks where he would board the _Over the Rainbow.  After placing his bags in the trunk and settling himself into the backseat, Ishiro waited impatiently for the car to take him to the docks._

            Upon his arrival, Ishiro saw that Misato was already there, dressed in her trademark black dress and red jacket, to see him off.  By the look on her face, it was clear that the woman was not used to waking up so early in the morning.

            "Good morning Major," said Ishiro cheerfully, "Isn't it a beautiful morning?"

            "Shut up Saegusa," growled Misato, eliciting a chuckle from Ishiro.

            "I trust that you'll be joining us tomorrow then," remarked the boy.

            "Of course," groaned Misato, "But in addition to Shinji and Asuka, Touji, Kensuke, and Hikari will be coming along as well."

            Ishiro nodded.  "I figured as much.  But suppose that an emergency comes up in Tokyo 3, will Rei be enough to handle any problems that come up?"

            "Well, the modifications you suggested to Unit 00 are working out, so we shouldn't have any problems.  In addition, the carrier has several rapid transport craft ready to take Shinji and Asuka back to the city if Rei can't handle anything that comes up."  Misato rested a hand on Ishiro's shoulder, smiling encouragingly, "It'll be alright."

            Ishiro turned to watch as Unit 14 was lifted by cranes and loaded into a modified cargo ship, the bay of which was already filled with cryogenic fluid.  He smiled, more than satisfied.  "This should prove to be a relaxing vacation."

***

            As the leviathan swam, the scent grew stronger in his nostrils.  There was an intruder in Godzilla's territory.  With each passing moment, Godzilla's fury grew as the audacity of this intruder became steadily more apparent.  Then, Godzilla's equally sensitive ears picked up a familiar far away sound magnified by the water around him.  It was a low thrumming noise that the monster had learned to associate with humans and their boats.  Godzilla was not a stupid creature and it did not take long for his surprisingly complex saurian mind to realize that the intruder was making a beeline for those boats.  With renewed vigor, the King of the Monsters swam on.

***

            The next day, a military helicopter flew over the open ocean, following the path taken by the now long departed Pacific fleet.  Inside the passenger section, Kensuke was going berserk as usual, turning his camera every which way in order to try and take everything in at once.  Touji sat next to him with a slightly disgusted look on his face.  Behind them sat Asuka and Hikari.  Hikari's face was neutral, but Asuka made no effort to hide her disgust for the actions of the brown-haired military fanatic in front of her.  The redhead growled something imperceptible about stooges and idiots before turning to look out the window.  Behind them sat Shinji and Misato.  Shinji was listening quietly to his SDAT player and looking idly out his window with a disinterested expression.  Misato was going through some last minute paperwork on a clipboard in front of her and was making no attempt whatsoever to hide her frustration.  Every now and then, the woman took the opportunity to take a huge gulp from a thermos of coffee at her side.

            It had only been slightly less than twenty four hours since the Pacific fleet had gotten underway, and the helicopter managed to close the distance in less than three hours.  Finally, the massive, broad deck of the UN super-carrier _Over the Rainbow_ came into view.  At the sight of this, Kensuke went ballistic again, despite the fact that he had already been aboard this exact carrier already once before when it had been part of the fleet taking Eva Unit 02 to Tokyo 3, a fact that Touji couldn't help but point out.

            "Chill out Kensuke," muttered Touji, "You've already been on this one before."

            "Yeah but you never know when you might have missed something!" Kensuke retorted, nearly smacking Touji in the head with the camera as he whipped it around to start filming something else.

            "You'd better put that camera away Aida," growled Asuka, who had had enough, "Or I'm going to stick it where the sun don't shine, permanently."

            After a nervous gulp, Kensuke complied with Sohryu's request and put the camera away.  After all, Asuka was a girl known for carrying out her threats, with extreme prejudice.  Hikari gave Asuka for a disapproving look, a look that the German girl ignored with ease considering that her manner had gotten her what she wanted.

            Outside, the deck of the carrier loomed nearer.

***

            Ishiro stood on the open deck, waiting to greet his friends as they emerged from the helicopter.  The aircraft had not yet set down.  While he waited for it to land, Ishiro looked out over the sea.  The late morning sun glinted off the azure waters, giving the entire atmosphere a peaceful setting despite the presence of dozens of large battleships bristling with torpedo tubes, missile launchers, and cannons.  The ocean was calm this morning and its surface smooth.

            Saegusa's expression darkened as he was hit by a sudden sense of looming foreboding.  There was something wrong with the current setting that he couldn't place.  However, the feeling faded quickly and Ishiro wondered briefly if he had just imagined it.  However, his clairvoyant senses rarely failed to alert him when trouble was afoot and they even more rarely gave off false alarms.  Ishiro was certain that something not so good was soon to occur.

            However, he realized that there was little he could do about it at that particular point and time.  All he could do was wait until the situation became much more clear to him.

            Behind the distracted boy, the sound of the helicopter's rotors became almost deafening as the helicopter itself set down on the deck of the carrier.  Realizing that his friends had arrived, Ishiro turned and went to greet the new arrivals as they came off the plane.

            Kensuke and Touji came first.  Apparently, the excitement at being back on a carrier deck was too much for Kensuke and despite Asuka's threat; he whipped out his camera and became pointing it in every possible direction.  Touji simply walked calmly out from under the still whirling rotors.  As he approached, Ishiro extended a hand towards him.

            "Suzuhara, it's wonderful to make your acquaintance again," he said, smiling as Touji took the proffered hand.

            "Nice to see you too Saegusa," replied Touji, smiling wryly, "Considering you've ditched school ever since your first day."

            Ishiro turned his attention to Kensuke.  "And you must be Aida," he said, chuckling as Kensuke shook his hand without taking his eye from his roaming cameral lens, "Excited about coming are we?"  Kensuke was too preoccupied to answer.

            Behind them came Hikari and Asuka.  Hikari looked around nervously, slightly overwhelmed by the whole situation.  Asuka on the other hand, strode forward as if she owned the boat herself.  Heck, she walked as if she herself were the Admiral.

            "Hello Asuka," said Ishiro pleasantly.

            Asuka gave him an uncharacteristic smile.  "It's too bad they didn't select me for my superior talents," she boasted.

            "I'm afraid that your superior talents had to make way for my superior Eva," Ishiro retorted.  He then turned his attention to Hikari.  "I'm glad to see that you haven't been hitchhiking on any more Evas miss Horaki."  Hikari blushed slightly at the memory of climbing into Unit 14 during Godzilla's attack on Tokyo 3.

            Finally, Shinji and Misato brought up the rear.  Shinji stretched as he exited the cramped confines of the helicopter.  Misato merely hunched over, grasping her thermos of coffee in one hand while hugging her clipboard to her chest with the other.  The look on her face was positively miserable.

            Ishiro chuckled.  "Having trouble with paperwork Major?" he asked.  Misato just glared at him.  At the look on her face, Ishiro burst into full blown laughter.

***

            "You again," remarked the Admiral glumly, "Brought even more children for me to baby-sit I see."

            Misato smiled slyly at the Admiral, "If I recall Admiral, last time it was these children who had to baby-sit you."  The glare Admiral leveled at her would have cut down any lesser person, but after years of working for a man like Commander Ikari, Misato didn't even flinch.

            Misato and company had gone to the bridge to give all the paperwork to the Admiral.  As she had suspected, the Admiral was not happy to see any of their faces again.  _Oh well, she thought with a mental shrug, _I guess I can't really blame him after what happened last time.__

            "So which is the 6th Child Major?" inquired the Admiral.

            "That would be me," replied Ishiro calmly.

            The Admiral raised an eyebrow.  This boy was certainly different from the other two children he knew to be Eva pilots.  His gaze was steady and intense.  His eyes seemed to penetrate into the depths of the Admiral's mind and ferret out his darkest secrets.  In truth, this new boy was very unsettling.

            "We will be arriving at the West Coast of the United States in approximately three weeks," announced the Admiral.  "I hope you enjoy your stay," he added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

***

            Ishiro leaned against a railing looking out over the sea.  It was so calm and quiet out here.  He was glad that he could get away from his studies even for a short time, though he certainly didn't do the work because Ikari told him to do so.  In his time studying the G-cells, Ishiro had begun to learn why Godzilla had fascinated his mother to such a degree.  Miki Saegusa had spent much of her life observing Godzilla and his surrogate son, trying to learn everything she could about him within the scope of her ability.  She had first become involved with studying Godzilla when the Japanese government had asked her to use her powers to try and locate the monster as he moved underwater.  She succeeded.  Since then, the government had called upon Miki several times to find and observe Godzilla.  Eventually, she became an essential member of G-Force, the military organization dedicated to finding a way kill or contain Godzilla.  After observing him for so long, Miki felt inclined towards the latter option.

            She had even been a crucial part of the MechaGodzilla project's G-Crusher program, using her psychic powers to locate Godzilla's secondary brain and target it for MechaGodzilla's weaponry.  She was the primary part of Project T which aimed to use her telepathic signals, amplified and sent through a receiver planted on Godzilla's spine to try and control Godzilla's movements.  As Ishiro had learned himself, Godzilla's will proved to be much stronger than would allow for psychic control.  Not that this stopped the Japanese Mafia from kidnapping Miki so that they could try their own version of the device.

            Miki had even been there when Godzilla died.  She had shed tears when the foul beast Destroyer killed his only son and successor.  She had told him the story many times when he was young and shared with his mind the images she still retained of that event.  She had watched as the once mighty King of Monsters slowly melted away, flooding the area with fantastic radioactivity.  Her sorrow was then tempered by the joy of finding that the little one was revived by the energy and mutated into another full-grown Godzilla.  _Just as the phoenix is born from the ashes of its parent,_ thought Ishir wryly.

            Miki had watched the new Godzilla's life with intense interest.  She spent almost every working moment, following his movements (which were few and far between, mostly owing to his prolonged hibernation), observing his habits (which were equally few and far between), probing his mind, until she knew him better than she knew her own husband, a soldier she had met during her time on Project T.  In a way, Miki fell in love with Godzilla too.

            But then, Second Impact happened.  The government interest in Godzilla went down the drain.  Scientific minds around the world foolishly decided that Godzilla could not have survived such catastrophic changes.  G-Force was disbanded, and Miki, whom they no longer had any use for, was cast out like yesterday's garbage.  But, despite the words of many respected scientific authorities, she continued to search for him, trying desperately to find him.  In the end, her search claimed her life.  Ishiro, while saddened, was not depressed about this.  He had long ago made peace with his mother's death.  She had died for something she truly believed in.  And someday, Ishiro wished he could do the same.

            As for his father, he was actually killed in the global upheaval that followed Second Impact, but not before he finally impregnated Miki.  However, Ishiro never knew the man, for he was long gone by the time Ishiro was born.  After his death, Miki had changed her surname back to Saegusa, a decision which to this day, Ishiro approved of.  Miki never got another paying job after the end of her tenure at G-Force.  However, she had spent so much time working, that she had hardly spent any of the money she had saved up, which meant that she had enough to give Ishiro a comfortable life while she continued her pursuit of Godzilla, who had vanished in Second Impact, along with just about every other kaiju that had ever been catalogued.

            _And now they are reemerging, thought Ishiro, _Fifteen, almost sixteen years after Second Impact and its effects are starting to fade.  The turbulent conditions must have forced almost all of the kaiju into hiding in their own unique way.  The N bomb that destroyed ___Tokyo__ must have been the one that created the monster Anguirus, whatever it is that he was before the mutation._

            Ishiro was amazed at how such a straightforward and brutally powerful beast as Godzilla was also a creature of many mysteries.  His genetic structure was endlessly complex, comprising not of dozens or even hundreds, but thousands of different chromosomes just to catalogue the sheer number of mutations he had undergone.  Ishiro's search for the secret of Godzilla's regenerative abilities kept him engrossed.  There was so much he had learned about both the monster that Godzilla was and the animal that he had been.  His first determination was that Godzilla must have had regenerative abilities to some extent prior to his mutation.  One thing was for sure, the nucleus would be the place where the answer was found.  Hidden among the millions of gene sequences that comprised his thousands of chromosomes was the secret to his regenerative abilities.  Ishiro was certain that after hundreds of hours of study his search was almost over.  After he had found the secret to Godzilla's regeneration, his next project would be how to harness that knowledge for human benefits.  He could just imagine the sensation, a miracle of genetic engineering that could restore normally irreparable tissue damage, that could completely regenerate a lost limb from nothing but a severed stump, that could purge a body of illness and disease, or that could bring someone back from the edge of death.  His research could do endless good for all of humanity.

            _And I even have my first human test subject lined up, thought Ishiro slyly as he flexed the fingers of his prosthetic hand._

            "Nice to see you again," commented Touji, coming up behind Ishiro.  Ishiro jumped, startled.  He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't even detected Touji's presence behind him.

            "It was nice of you to come Suzuhara," answered Ishiro.  Touji joined Ishiro in leaning against the railing and looking out over the sea.

            After a moment, Touji spoke.  "Hey, I was wondering why you never came back after that first day at school."

            "Well," replied Ishiro, "I've been rather busy I'm afraid."

            "What do you mean?" asked Touji, "Shinji, Asuka, and Rei are Eva pilots and they show up for school whenever they can.  Surely you aren't too busy doing synch tests to come once in while."

            "My being an Eva pilot is only a small part of my duties at NERV," responded Ishiro evenly.

            "What else do you do?" Touji wanted to know.

            Ishiro smiled and decided to give Touji an answer that would interest him.  "I understand that you lost an arm and a leg in the incident involving Unit 03 and the 13th Angel."

            Touji looked up, confused.  Why was Ishiro changing the subject?  Furthermore, why did he think it was any of his business whether or not Touji had lost limbs?  It was still a very sensitive area of conversation for the 4th Child.  "Yeah," he replied through clenched teeth, "What's it to you?"

            Ishiro raised his right hand and held it palm up in front of his face.  He opened and closed it experimentally a few times and lowered it back down to the railing.  "I too know what it is like to lose part of me in such a fashion.  Though, I did not lose my hand in such a noble pursuit as you did."

            "You lost a hand?" inquired Touji.  Perhaps Ishiro was looking for some sort of common ground between them, to break the ice.  "How?"

            "To put it simply, I stuck my hand where it didn't belong and suffered the consequences for good or for ill," said Ishiro, smiling wryly.  Touji nodded in understanding.

            "Was it when you were younger?" he asked.

            Ishiro calmly related to Touji the same story he had related to Ritsuko not too long ago.  Then, he reached the heart of the conversation.  "Would you like someday to have you real leg and arm back Touji?"

            Touji nodded, "Yeah.  But that will never happen."

            Ishiro chuckled.  "You'd be surprised Suzuhara.  You have been wondering where I've been going with this conversation and now we've reached the heart of the matter that concerns my work at NERV.  One of the discoveries, or rather rediscoveries I made after our battle with Godzilla was that the kaiju possesses unbelievable regenerative abilities.  Even the most grievous of wounds inflicted upon him are able to heal in a few seconds at the most.  More often than not, they heal almost instantaneously.  This makes Godzilla nigh invulnerable to any form of attack.

            "Ever since that time, I've been trying to find the secret to Godzilla's ability to regenerate.  Once I do, I will be able to do much more than simply find a way to defeat Godzilla; I might be able to adapt it for use on humans."  Ishiro looked over at Touji, and grinned, "Imagine Suzuhara, you could completely regenerate both of your lost limbs in a matter of days or even hours.  Not only that, but they would grow back so that they retain their strength from before you lost them.  Imagine what it would be like to be whole again."

            Touji thought about it, and the more he thought about it the more he liked it.  "Are there other things you could do with this stuff?" he asked, really interested now.

            Ishiro nodded, "If you are talking about using it to heal you sister's injuries as well, yes.  This could bring people back from the edge of death and maybe even prolong life indefinitely."

            "That would be cool," agreed Touji.

            "Indeed it would," replied Ishiro.  Suddenly, a low rumble filled the air and subsided.  Ishiro looked down at his stomach, looked up and grinned sheepishly at Touji.  "It appears that it is time for lunch."

            Touji looked at his watch to see that it was almost exactly twelve noon.  "Your stomach can tell time?"

            "Indeed, you could set your watch by it."  His stomach growled again.  This time there was an answering growl from Touji's stomach.  The two looked at each other and burst out laughing.

***

            Lunch was surprisingly good for military fare.  After eating, the group had settled down for an after lunch cup of tea.  Misato, Shinji, Kensuke and Touji sat on one side.  Hikari, Asuka and Ishiro sat on the other.  They kept the conversation to a minimum.  Ishiro certainly didn't mind.  He leaned back in his chair and slowly sipped at his tea while the others engaged in some light conversation.

            "You never told me you had a prosthetic hand," Misato said, making Ishiro's eyes fly open.  He hadn't been paying attention with his ears or his mind.  Touji or Shinji must have told her something.

            "I never thought it worth mentioning," he said lazily, "There's really nothing special about it.  Besides, I was sure that Dr. Akagi had told you about it by now."

            "Ritsuko knows!" Misato exclaimed, "Oh right!  It's just business as usual.  'Let's all find out something and not tell poor Misato!'"

            Ishiro laughed at her exclamation.  "It's hardly noteworthy Major.  Just because I have a prosthetic yet I am capable of piloting an Eva isn't really anything special."

            Misato just groaned and through up her hands in resignation, causing the others at the table to burst into laughter.

***

            Night had fallen and most people were in bed.  Shinji however, was very much awake.  He was sitting on one of the walkways of the carrier, leaning against the railing while letting his legs dangle over the edge.  Moonlight reflected off the now dark waters.  Shinji looked out over the sea and felt an uncharacteristic feeling of peace fall over him.  It was nice out here, nice and quiet.  Better yet, there were no Angels to ruin the trip this time.

            "A yen for your thoughts 3rd Child," said Asuka as she sat down next to him.

            "I was just thinking about how peaceful it is out here."  Shinji looked over at Asuka.  She had a blissful look on her face as she looked out over the sea.  He pushed away from the edge of the railing and scooted back until he was leaning against the wall on the other side of the walkway.  Asuka did the same.  Then she leaned against him.  Shinji obliged by putting his arms around her and holding her close.

            "Asuka?" he asked quietly.

            "What is it?" she asked back.

            "What will you do when this is all over?" asked Shinji, surprising her, "What will you do when there's no more need for the Evas."

            Asuka was silent for a moment.  "I honestly don't know," she replied, "Eva's always been a part of my life ever since I was a little girl.  I don't know what I'll do, what I can do when it's gone.  I really can't imagine life without it."

            "And I can't imagine it ending real soon," came a voice from the shadows further up the walkway.  Shinji and Asuka looked up quickly.  Two points of red appeared in the darkness, followed by Ishiro.  The red points were his eyes, which had switched from their normal brown color when he let his vision slip into the infrared spectrum.

            "Why?" asked Shinji, frustrated, "Why can't they Evas go away.  Why will we always be asked to put our lives on the line for people we don't even know, people who don't always even support us?  Why do we have to go through so much pain when the people we save never have any idea what we feel?"  He stopped when he felt Asuka put her arms around him and hug him tightly.

            "I didn't say it would be forever," replied Ishiro, sitting down next to Asuka, who was still leaning against Shinji, "I just said that it wouldn't come to an end real soon."

            "Why not?" inquired Asuka.

            "The Angels are gone," answered Ishiro, "And to a certain extent, the kaiju have taken their place.  Some of these kaiju are not all that different from the Angels in terms of motivation.  Godzilla, Anguirus, Manda, these kaiju were just the tip of the iceberg.  There are many more kaiju out there.  Most of them are less than benign."

            "Where did all the kaiju come from?" Shinji asked.

            Ishiro shrugged.  "Kaiju come from many different things.  Some are mutations, like Godzilla.  Others have different origins.  Some of them are even supernatural in nature.  My mother once told me about a giant moth kaiju who was said to be akin to a goddess."  Asuka's head went up at this.  There was something similar about this moth kaiju and the strange moth-like woman of her dreams and nightmares.

            "What about this moth thing?" asked Asuka eagerly.

            Ishiro did not seem in the least bit surprised by her question.  "Mother called her Mothra.  She said that Mothra was first found on an island in Indonesia as an egg.  The egg eventually hatched into a giant caterpillar and later metamorphosed into a giant moth.  This same moth did battle with Godzilla and actually succeeded in defeating him with the help of Battra."

            "Battra?" inquired Asuka, raising an eyebrow.

            "Battra was a different creature altogether.  He was almost like a dark twin of Mothra, but of a different origin.  They were enemies at first but united when they had to fight Godzilla.  Battra was killed in the battle, but not before he and Mothra succeeded in carrying Godzilla out to sea."  Ishiro looked up at the starry sky and sighed.  "My mother told me so many stories about the kaiju that it's difficult to keep track of them all."

            After another moment or so, Ishiro stood up.  "I'm off to bed," he announced, "Don't stay up too late."  He left.

            Asuka and Shinji remained where they were for a while.  Finally, Asuka yawned.  "I'm getting tired," she said, "I think I'll go to bed."

            "Me too," agreed Shinji.  They let go of one another and began walking towards their quarters.

            They stopped outside the door to Asuka's room.  "Good night baka," said Asuka tiredly but cheerfully.

            "Good night Asuka," replied Shinji.  He hesitated for a moment and slipped his arms around Asuka's waist and pulled her close.  Asuka was about to protest when he kissed her.  For a moment she was stunned by his sudden boldness, but then she relaxed into the kiss and put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.  They stayed locked together for a long moment before they finally let go.  Asuka stepped into her room without saying another word.  But she had a smile on her face.  Shinji went to his own room and also went to bed, thinking about what he had just done.  Both children slept peacefully through the night.

            Ishiro's night, on the other hand, was anything but peaceful.  He tossed and turned wildly as his dreams were tormented by dark shapes moving through the deep blue sea.  His dreams were rarely ever misleading.  Ishiro could only arrive at one conclusion; a kaiju was coming and would arrive soon.  However, the dream was less than definite on when and where the kaiju would arrive.  Ishiro could only hope that he wasn't taken by surprise too badly.

***

            Morning came and passed uneventfully.  Breakfast was a leisurely affair for the guests of the Pacific Fleet.  Ishiro was well rested despite his turbulent dreams the previous night and both Shinji and Asuka appeared the happiest they had been in months.

            Touji seemed to be a lot more optimistic than usual.  He later confided in Shinji saying that he had been cheered up by Ishiro's proposed possibility of regaining his lost limbs.  This served to lift the enormous weight of guilt from Shinji's shoulders.  After all, despite all that was said and done, he still did feel largely responsible for Touji's injuries.

            Kensuke's excitement had not lost momentum over the night and he continued to point his camera in every possible direction, even if it meant that he was filming the same things over and over again.  Asuka finally got fed up with this and threatened Kensuke with castration if he didn't put the camera away for the rest of the voyage, an order to which the boy was quick to comply.

            Hikari was perhaps the most unaffected of the children, most likely because she felt slightly nervous and out of place.  However, she did seem to be pleased to just be among her friends.  The fact that Touji was along as well only seemed to make the situation better for her.

            Misato was feeling the opposite of the children.  It was on this very carrier all those months ago that she had first seen Kaji after their long time apart from one another.  While it wasn't exactly a joyous reunion on Misato's part, she did eventually rediscover her feelings for the man.  However, this ended when he was killed for asking too many questions about the purpose of NERV.  Being on the place where they had first met after all those years had brought back painful memories that she had tried to bury.  Misato did her best to hide it and the children were having too good a time to notice her few slips.  Only Ishiro, whose knowledge extended past the normal levels of human awareness, seemed to see the situation Misato was in and kept a concerned eye on the Major whenever she was in sight but did not try to interfere.

***

            Midday came and went.  Touji, Hikari and Kensuke approached Ishiro with an unusual request.

            "You want to see Unit 14?" said Ishiro, raising an eyebrow.

            "Well," said Hikari sheepishly, "Yes."

            Ishiro looked amused by their request.  "I thought you had seen this Eva already Miss Horaki."

            "Well, we did," replied Hikari, "But it would be nice to see it when it wasn't almost about to crush us."

            Ishiro's face took on a look of mock offense.  "How could you possibly think that I would be so careless?"  This prompted a laugh from the three.

            Ishiro's face grew serious.  "What about Shinji and Asuka?  Did they want to come along."

            "To be honest," replied Touji, "We haven't seen them since breakfast.  We haven't seen Miss Misato around either."

            Clandestinely, Ishiro had a very good idea of what the aforementioned children were up to.  He was quite glad to leave them to it.

            "Please," begged Kensuke, whose eye was glued to the camera lens.  He still took the camera out whenever Asuka wasn't looking.

            "Alright," said Ishiro, chuckling, "But you need to put the camera away or half the command staff will flay me alive for allowing you to tape footage of the Eva.  Not to mention that I'd have to tell Sohryu and you remember what she told you about cameras."  Aida's face went dead white and the camera disappeared as his friends laughed.

            Secretly, Ishiro was glad that the three had asked him to take them to see the Eva.  _Something's going to happen soon and I need to be near the Eva when it happens._  Ishiro had been subject to an increasing sense of foreboding as the day wore on.  He was certain that whatever was about to happen would happen soon.  "Well, now that that's settled, we should get going."

***

            Meanwhile, Shinji and Asuka were following Misato around as carefully as possible.  Despite the happy appearance they had put up that morning, they had been troubled by the fact that Misato did not seem her normal happy, go-lucky (and drunk) self.  Both Shinji and Asuka were able to put two and two together when they figured out that this place brought back memories of her and Kaji (whether or not they were actually related to the location).  They had both silently decided, but had not voiced to one another, that because Misato was the closest thing they had to a mother, they needed to be there for her.

            Misato seemed to be unfocused in her wanderings.  She traversed the various decks of the carrier seemingly at random.  However, her two shadows noticed that she seemed to be visiting places that held special significance for her and Kaji during the admittedly short time they had been together on the ship.

            Finally, after almost two hours of wandering about the confines of the carrier, an almost tearful Misato returned to her room.  Shinji and Asuka, who had been watching her from around a corner pulled back to have a short discussion.

            "We need to talk to her," said Asuka at once.

            "A-are you sure?" asked Shinji hesitantly, "Is it really our business?"

            "Of course it is baka," replied Asuka sharply, "She's our guardian and if she's like this she can't properly fulfill her duties as such."  Her expression softened when she saw the look on Shinji's face, apparently stunned by her apparent insensitivity.  "But most importantly, because she's done so much for us."  Shinji nodded.  "She's been there for us whenever she could."  Another nod.  "She's taken us into her home."  Another nod.  "It's time we did something for her."  Yet another nod.  "We can't let her tear herself up like this, not when we can help."  Shinji nodded a final time.

            Asuka peeked around the corner, then turned back to look at Shinji, who looked at her as if she were a tap-dancing Eva.  "Let's go," she said softly.  Shinji nodded mutely.  They crept around the corner (unconsciously keeping up the pretense of stealth) and up the corridor to Misato's room.

            At the door, Asuka had a fairly good idea of what to do.  She didn't want to knock or announce their presence in any way and give Misato a chance to put on any masks or raise any walls.  They had to catch her with her defenses down in order to reach the heart of the matter.  Thus, Asuka decided that the direct course was best.  She opened the door and marched in without hesitation, Shinji trailing nervously in her wake.

            Misato was perched on her bed with tissues scattered around her.  It was clear that she had been crying.  She jumped when the children entered, somewhat surprised by their bold and unannounced entrance.  Before Misato could put any words together or wipe the tears from her eyes, Asuka gave her a stern look saying, "We need to talk…now."

***

            "Sir!" yelled the sailor manning the radar, "There's a large object approaching from the southwest!"

            "What kind of object?" demanded the Admiral.

            "It's about seventy-five meters underwater and closing fast," replied the man.

            "It'd better not be one of those damn Angels," grumbled the Admiral irritably, "Fire as soon as it comes into range and sound the alarm.

***

            Ishiro lifted the edge of the canvas covering the prone form of Unit 14.  "Well," he said simply, "There it is."

            The big, black Eva was laying face down in a shallow pool of cryo-stasis fluid.  This allowed access to the entry plug for maintenance and emergencies.  He wasn't so sure why the others wanted to see it, the Eva was much more impressive standing up.

            _Why don't I find out for myself? thought Ishiro wryly.  One by one, he slowly slipped into their consciousnesses and found the reason they had come._

            Kensuke's reasons were as he had said.  The boy was a military fanatic and would have given up an arm and a leg (sorry Touji) to see an Eva at any time, regardless of how many times he had seen one in the past.  It appeared that Kensuke had similar feelings about most other forms of military hardware.  _It must be a wonderful state of mind, thought Ishiro, _To___ him, nothing truly gets old and boring if he takes an interest in it.  To him it will always be new and exciting no matter how many times he has seen or done it._

            Touji had come because he was sticking with Kensuke.  He had nothing better to do and Shinji and Asuka were off doing something else, so he came along.  Ishiro did notice that Touji saw a perk in Hikari being there.

            Hikari, wanted to come for some strange reasons.  It appeared that when he had nearly stepped on her during their battle with Godzilla, Ishiro had inadvertently scared most of Hikari's memories of what the Eva looked like out of her head.  She was also a little too busy trying to survive long enough to get inside the Eva to notice anything about its appearance.  Because of this, Hikari was unusually keen to see the thing that had both saved her and almost killed her.

            For a long moment, they stared silently at the ebony behemoth.  Ishiro was pondering whether to ask them to voice their reasons out loud when the screaming of klaxons and alarms rang through the hold; this was followed by a powerful vibration that shook the ship violently.  Hikari yelped in surprise and fear and grabbed onto Touji who clutched a railing.  Kensuke was nearly pitched headlong into the cryo-stasis fluid and barely managed to save himself by grabbing onto a nearby railing.  Ishiro, who had been leaning against the wall, carefully maintained his balance.  The shuddering had come as no surprise to him.

            The four of them rushed out onto the upper deck of the ship and rushed to the edge to see what was going on.  Several of the battleships were unloading torpedoes into the water at an obscene rate.  Turning their heads, they were barely able to make out the torpedoes' target, less than a mile away.  A massive object was moving through the water at incredible speed.

            As the object neared, Ishiro was able to catch glimpses of black carapace, an orange horn and two glowing red eyes.  Despite what little he had seen, it was more than enough for him to make a proper identification.

            "Battra," he muttered under his breath.  Without hesitation he ran towards the main hold of the ship and his Eva.

***

            Shinji and Asuka were deep in conversation with Misato.  Thanks to the abruptness of their arrival, they had been able to keep Misato from hiding her feelings from them.  It took a little coaxing, but Misato finally opened up to them and told them just how much it had hurt to lose Kaji.  At one point, she broke down, sobbing.  Shinji and Asuka helped to comfort her by drawing the woman into an embrace.

            Finally, after Misato had regained some semblance of control over herself, she wiped her eyes and smiled.  "I'm so lucky to have two great kids like you."

            Before either of the two children could form a response an explosion sounded from outside and the ship shook violently.  Alarm blared throughout the length and breadth of the gigantic carrier.  Misato quickly dried her eyes and rushed out of her room towards the bridge, Shinji and Asuka following right behind her.

            When they reached the bridge, the Admiral was frantically scanning the horizon with his binoculars, searching for any sign of their attacker.  It quickly became visible in the form of a white plume of water thrown upwards by an underwater object traveling at incredible speeds.

            The object veered towards a battleship named the _Devastation_ circling around the edge of the fleet.  The ship unleashed a full broadside at the attacking USO (Unidentified Swimming Object), but to no effect.  The target continued on a collision course for the doomed ship.  At the last possible second, the massive body of the thing rose out of the water.  The observers on the _Over the Rainbow_ were afforded a partial view of the beast that was attacking them.

            The creature was encased in a black, angular carapace.  Several rows of tiny, yellow protrusions ran down the length of its back with a ridge of red spikes running down the center.  Its body was segmented like that of an enormous caterpillar.  Its flanks were decorated with spots of red that almost looked like giant, finely cut rubies.  A row of tiny legs ending in hooked claws ran down each side of the monster.  About midway down, a pair of much larger legs protruded outward.  The rest of the creature remained underwater.  However, the end of the tail rose out of the water, tipped with what looked like a gigantic, contorted trident of a dull gray color.  The view was brief before it fell back beneath the waves.  Its head was crowned by a horn that looked like a gigantic shard of orange crystal.  This horn was surrounded by a group of much smaller horns.

            The monster rose well up above the _Devastation_'s zenith before it began to fall forward, emitting a horrible shriek like some sort of predatory bird.  Crackling orange arcs of power raced up the main horn, originating from the cluster of smaller ones at its base.  The attacking creature brought the full length of its horn across the width of the battleship.  The _Devastation_ was cut cleanly in two.

            The monster did not slow down after its initial attack.  It veered towards a different battleship, rushing at it head-on.  The battleship fired with every weapon it could bring to bear.  Undaunted, the beast continued forward, diving fully underwater and passing beneath the battleship.  A massive explosion ran the entire length of the ship as it was ripped open from underneath.  It slowly began to sink beneath the waves.

            Every ship that could opened fire on the attacking creature with all the weapons it could point at the offending monster.  At one point, the Admiral coordinated a single, massive barrage of missiles that converged on the target, turning the ocean into a maelstrom as the water was heated well past the boiling point by repeated explosions and throwing up dozens of sky-high plumes.  When the last few geysers of water fell back down, the ocean's surface was still.  The black shape of the leviathan could still be seen, floating motionlessly just beneath the surface.

            "Is it dead?" wondered Misato.

            "Of course it is," boomed the Admiral pompously, "You don't think that the Pacific Fleet couldn't handle an overgrown insect on its own."

            Seconds later, a warning came from the cargo ship that Unit 14 was being activated.

            "What?" shouted the Admiral in anger, "The threat is obviously past.  Stop the damn launch."

            "I'm sorry to contradict you sir," said Ishiro over the radio, annoyance clear in his tone, "But the threat is not over and Battra is far from dead."

            "What did you call that thing?" asked Misato.

            "Battra.  It's a long story, I'll tell you later."  Ishiro's voice was getting a little more frantic.  "We need to figure something out, it's about to attack again."

            "You're joking!" snapped the Admiral.

            Of course, five seconds later, the sea exploded upward and the upper forward half of Battra rose above the surface.  Now that it was facing towards them, the people on the bridge of the _Over the Rainbow now had an unobstructed view of the creature's face._

            Looking at him from behind, Battra was intimidating, from the front, he seemed to instill a sense of barely suppressed fear in everyone who looked at him.  Battra's eyes were gigantic, ruby colored, multifaceted bulges, identical looking to the ones that decorated his flanks.  Two tiny mandibles in the center of its face opened and closed sporadically.  Below and on either side, was a single upward curving tusk or perhaps fang.  As the monster's jagged maw opened, it let out another horrible bird-like screech.

            Again arcs of energy ran up and down the length of his central horn.  Then, a bolt of orange lighting streaked away from the protrusion and struck a battleship in front of the carrier.  The bolt of energy raked the length of the ship, setting off explosions and starting fires wherever it touched.  After a few seconds, the entire battleship was shattered by a single giant explosion.

            Again, arcs of energy flickered across the cluster of small horns at the base of the main one.  This time, the arcs streaked down into Battra's ruby eyes where they emerged as flashes of violet energy.  The two streams of purple lightning streaked just over the flight deck of the carrier to strike a destroyer on the other side.  That ship too vanished in an explosion.

            More arcs raced around Battra's crown as he prepared for yet another attack.  However, they vanished when a familiar gurgling bellow echoed across the open waters.  Unit 14 stood proudly on the ship that had been carrying it.  Battra whirled around to face the Eva, as he did so, an orange bolt of energy leapt from his horn at his new opponent.  The bolt of energy streamed across the water and crashed against the orange hexagon of Unit 14's unfolded AT field, protecting both the Eva and the ship on which it stood.

            Battra plowed forward, swimming with an undulating motion that created a tremendous swell which nearly capsized the carrier.  The monster began to head straight for the ship holding Unit 14.  As it did, it dove just beneath the surface and gained speed.  Unit 14 crouched slightly then leapt straight into the air.  Seconds later, the tip of Battra's horn emerged from the water and ripped into the cargo ship's underside.  The ship promptly sank.  At almost the same time, Unit 14 landed hard on the flight deck of the carrier, causing it to plunge down a considerable distance before its buoyancy overrode the Eva's momentum, nearly swamping the vessel.  As the gigantic machine shifted its weight to regain its balance, the ship tipped precariously, spilling several fighters and helicopters into the sea.  The Eva then whirled around to confront Battra again.

            "Ishiro?" said Misato frantically, yanking the microphone from the Admiral's grip, "Where are Touji, Kensuke, and Hikari?"

            "Oh they're in here," remarked Ishiro casually, "It's actually getting a little crowded in here."

            "But they're in danger in the cockpit!" protested Shinji.

            "Would you have preferred that I leave them on the ship?" asked Ishiro, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

            "Oh," was all that Shinji could say.

            The Eva's wrists opened up and the handles of its two AT swords dropped down into its hands.  With a flare of orange light, the shaped AT fields sprang into being.  Battra came charging at the ship and the Eva.

            "No!" the Admiral nearly screamed, "I don't want to go through this again!"  He was referring to the incident with the 6th Angel, in which the Angel had thrown itself onto the flight deck of the carrier in order to drag Unit 02 into the ocean.

            Rather than wait for the kaiju though, Unit 14 leapt off the flight deck of the carrier and descended, swords leading towards the oncoming form of Battra.

            "Ishiro!" yelled Misato frantically, "Unit 14 is using the B-type equipment!  It won't be able to operate underwater!"

            "We'll manage," declared Ishiro.  Unit 14's feet slammed onto Battra's head on either side of his horn.  At the same time, both swords drove into the curved top of his armored form.  However, the blades, which could cut through an Angel's core with the greatest of ease, failed to even scratch Battra's ebony carapace.

            At that instant, Battra unleashed another blast of energy from his horn which hit Unit 14 directly in the chest, throwing the Eva off his head and into the sea, where it sank beneath the waves.  Battra dove down after it.

            "Oh no," gasped Asuka, "We don't even have the umbilical cable this time."

            "Hey," protested Ishiro over the radio, "I said 'I'll manage' okay!"

            "I hope so," replied Shinji softly.

***

            Unit 14 was sinking fast.  Ishiro growled with the exertion of trying to get the Eva to move.  However, water was seeping in through every chink in the armor, filling spaces, making movement all but impossible and reducing the Eva's buoyancy further.  They would sink all the way to the bottom at this rate, where they would be absolutely helpless when Battra continued his attack.

            Behind Ishiro, the other three children were clutching the back of his seat as hard as they could.  Hikari looked positively terrified.  Touji, who looked sadly resigned, had put his good arm around Hikari's shoulders while latching on to the back of the seat with his prosthetic.  Kensuke looked positively delighted to be back in the cockpit of an Eva, even though he wasn't piloting.

            The giant, black, armored caterpillar wasn't going to wait for them to reach the bottom.  He came plunging down from the surface, attempting to sink his horn right into Unit 14's chest.  With all his will, Ishiro urged the Eva to move, jerk, or even twitch, anything!  He was rewarded when the Eva's weight shifted ever so slightly at the last moment, sending it drifting out of the path of Battra's attack.  Battra barreled by, his jagged sides scraping against Unit 14 and sending it careening.

            Ishiro knew he couldn't keep this up much longer.  Battra would not be so easily dodged next time and Unit 14 was all but completely immobile.  _Erika, he thought frantically, __do something!_

            The response came instantly.  With a rushing sound, the water was forced from the Eva's armor.  The whole body was suddenly sealed from the surrounding ocean.  Furthermore, Erika had also managed to balance out Unit 14's buoyancy, making it neutrally buoyant.

            _Thanks Erika, thought Ishiro gratefully.  The Eva's self correction came not a second too soon as Battra came surging back towards them.  Ishiro deactivated the Eva's AT blades and withdrew their handles back into Unit 14's arms.  It was obvious that they would be of no use.  Using its arms and legs, he oriented Unit 14 towards Battra and with a kick of its powerful legs, sent the Eva speeding towards the monster like a giant torpedo._

            The two slammed together with incredible force, sending a plume of water into the sky above the surface.  The two enemies grappled with one another, losing all sense of up and down, right and left as the spun and whirled about.  Unit 14 hammered Battra's face with its fists, slamming them repeatedly between the monster's two glowing red eyes.  Battra brought his horn crashing down on Unit 14's right shoulder, crushing its brace and nearly dislocating it.  In retaliation, the Eva gripped both sides of Battra's enormous head and brought its knee up, smashing it into the creature's mandibles.  Reflexively, the two pointed tusks contracted and dug their points into the back of the Eva's knee while Battra's mandibles opened and bit into the armored plate on the front.

            In the entry plug, Ishiro screamed as fire seared through the nerves of his knee.  He reached down with one of the Eva's, and grasped at one of the tusks holding the limb in place and pulled with all his might.  After a moment, it gave and was pulled out of his leg.  Without letting go of said tusk, he reached down with Unit 14's other hand and pulled out the other tusk the same way.  Then, he pushed back against Battra's face and yanked his knee from the monster's mandibles, taking a good chunk of armored plate with it.

            At that point, Battra's eyes unleashed a barrage of purple energy which slammed into Unit 14's stomach at point blank range.  Ishiro gritted his teeth and fought through nauseating waves of pain to bring the Eva's fist crashing back down on the monster's multifaceted eye.  With a shriek, Battra backed away.

            Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ishiro gave a kick and send the Eva speeding towards the surface.  It broke the surface with enough momentum to throw its upper body onto the flight deck of the nearby carrier and haul itself aboard.  Unit 14 lay there prone for a moment, sprawled out across the flight deck of the _Over the Rainbow, crushing any fighters that had not already been dumped into the ocean._

***

            On the bridge, the Admiral was nearly pulling his hair out with rage.  "Is this going to happen every time I try to transport one of these damn children's toys?"

            "Ishiro!" yelled Misato, "Are you alright?"

            "Yeah, sure," grumbled Ishiro, "Never better."  He groaned, he was going to be in pain the next morning.

            The Eva finally managed to find steady footing and get to its feet, balancing carefully on the now empty flight deck.  The surface of the ocean off to the starboard side of the ship erupted upwards and outwards as Battra rose up.  The kaiju's momentum carried him almost completely clear of the water.  He too latched onto the flight deck, hooking the two larger legs onto the edge of the carrier and pulling himself onto the ship.  Rearing up like this, Battra was about ninety meters tall, nearly matching the Eva in height.  Ishiro slammed the Eva's left shoulder into Battra, trying desperately to force the kaiju off the ship before it capsized.

            Everyone was so absorbed by the activities going on outside on the flight deck that they failed to notice that on the radar, another even larger submerged object was approaching.

            Unit 14 finally managed to shove Battra over the side and back into the sea.  Battra rose up again and floated just off the side of the carrier.  Arcs of energy flared from his horns to his eyes as the creature prepared to attack again.

            Suddenly, the sea behind Battra exploded and a brilliant blue-white beam of energy struck the insect-like monster on its back, exploding against its powerful armor.  Battra wheeled around to confront this new attacker.  The ocean frothed as a sinuous tail rose above the waters and smashed back down.  Three rows of jagged plates appeared above the waves, followed by the gigantic mass of the monster that bore them.  Godzilla reared up in the waters and roared out a challenge to this intruder into his territory.

            Battra regarded the newcomer with a feeling approaching curiosity.  Then, his eyes flared malevolently as recognition surged through his brain.  Abandoning any further attacks on Unit 14 and the Pacific Fleet, Battra dove just beneath the waves and charged straight at Godzilla, rearing up to slam his full mass into the King of Monsters.  Godzilla roared again and the two of them, grappling, slowly sank out of sight.

            "Let's get the hell out of here," declared Ishiro over the radio.

            "I couldn't agree more," said the relieved Admiral.  The fleet fled at full speed.

***

            Beneath the surface, the waters boiled and churned as the two monsters battled fiercely.  Godzilla and Battra exchanged heat beams and lightning bolts as the two of them clashed, sinking all the way to the bottom.  On the sea floor, their fight continued unabated.  The two of them grabbed and ripped, tore and bit, each trying to kill the other.  Godzilla's powerful abilities of regeneration easily compensated for Battra's nearly impenetrable armor.

            Finally, Godzilla managed to find a crease, a gap in Battra's carapace.  Bringing his jaws as close as possible to the weak spot while trying to hold the rest of Battra at bay, Godzilla unleashed the full force of his atomic ray into the hole in Battra's defenses.  The creature shrieked in rage and pain, unleashing a torrent of orange and purple bolts of energy across Godzilla's body.  The pain forced Godzilla to relinquish his grip on his foe.  Battra however, was in too much pain to counterattack.  Leaking black blood into the ocean around him, the wounded beast swam off and disappeared into the deep.

            Godzilla's nostrils filled with seawater, testing for the scent of his opponent.  Satisfied that he had driven away the intruder, Godzilla began swimming for home.

***

            Unit 14 now lay prone on the flight deck of the _Over the Rainbow_.  With a low pop/hiss, the entry plug slid out of its socket in the Back of the Eva's neck and opened.  Touji, Kensuke and Hikari were the first to get out.  All three of them were drenched in LCL, seeping into their clothes and sticking to their hair.  They were quite tired and shaken after their strange ordeal.

            Ishiro was next to get out and he was positively exhausted.  The poor boy barely managed to haul himself out of the entry plug before tumbling to the hot flight deck below.  Shinji ran to help him up, not caring whether he got LCL on his shirt or not.  "Are you okay?" he asked Ishiro worriedly.

            "I've been better," admitted Ishiro, "But at least I didn't faint this time."  He gave a dry laugh.  "And I'm supposed to be on vacation, how ironic."

            "At least you're alive," remarked Shinji.

            Ishiro nodded in agreement.  Then, he changed the subject.  "Did you find out what was bothering Misato?"

            "How did you know?" asked Shinji.

            "I'm good at reading peoples' emotions.  She was trying to hide it at breakfast, but something was bothering her."  He looked up at Shinji, his eyes begging the boy to answer the unspoken question.

            Shinji sighed.  "After being away for several years, this ship is where Misato met Kaji Ryouji.  They were a couple back in college but broke up before Misato left to go work for NERV.  When the Pacific Fleet escorted Unit 02 and Asuka to Tokyo 3, Kaji accompanied them.  It wasn't the happiest reunion, but they made up later and fell in love again."

            Ishiro nodded.  "Why does that give her cause to be sad then?"  He asked even though he already knew the answer.

            "Kaji was killed for asking too many questions about NERV's real purpose.  Misato was hit pretty hard by the news.  She managed to get over it.  But now, this ship brought back not only memories of meeting Kaji here, but all her memories of Kaji," Shinji choked back a sob, "And she remembered just how much he meant to her."

            "Kaji seems to have meant a lot to you too," observed Ishiro.  Shinji looked at him sadly.  "But that's a story for another day," added Ishiro, "You don't have to tell me now."

            Shinji nodded.  In any case, they had already made it to Ishiro's room.  After opening the door, Ishiro stumbled inside.  Turning around, he thanked Shinji for his help and after closing the door, went to take a shower and get some sleep.

***

_A few weeks later:_

            In Tokyo 3, business carried on normally.  Ritsuko had only recently called Rei in for several synchronization tests to see whether or not she would be able to pilot the reconstructed Unit 00.  Fortunately, the test went without a hitch.  After returning home, Rei fell asleep instantly, tired from the hard day.

            At 10:27 that night, all forms of communication other than human speech ceased to function for the second time.  Down in the Command Center, Ritsuko, Maya and the rest of the bridge crew were instantly aware of the situation.  A runner was sent to collect the 1st Child.  The implications were clear.  Manda had returned to Tokyo 3 and would soon attack.

            "With the communications blackout in effect, we can't reach Misato," worried Ritsuko, "Rei's the only one we have now."

            Unbeknownst to the workers in the Command Center, another threat was approaching, this one from below.  With their attention on the impending attack from Manda, the staff of NERV never noticed that another, even greater threat was coming from the ground beneath their feet.

***

            Ishiro stepped off the escalator and onto American soil.  Looking around, Saegusa found that he was hardly impressed by what he saw.  There was little here that was different from Tokyo 3, other than the fact that the skyscrapers were not built to lower into the ground in case of an attack.

            Behind him, Unit 14 was slowly being lifted by crane off the flight deck of the _Over the Rainbow and onto an enormous flatbed truck, which would transport it to the proving grounds in Nevada.  He sighed in relief.  __And now for the easy part.___

Authors note: Battra is one of the coolest kaiju that Toho has ever created.  He's just so darn versatile.  I'm not exactly sure, but I read on one of the numerous websites around that Ritsuko's mother is the spirit that resides in Unit 00.  If I'm wrong, feel free to correct me.  Well, the best is still yet to come (depending on your actual opinion of this fic).


	10. The War on Two Fronts

Disclaimer: Nothing really new here; same old same old.

**Chapter 10:** The War on Two Fronts

            "Well," said Misato, bored, "We're here."  From their special observation room designated for the people from NERV, Misato, Shinji, Asuka, Ishiro, Touji, Kensuke, and Hikari (long list huh) watched dully as the operators for the new model of Jet Alone robots was put through its paces.

            "Well," observed Ishiro, "It's not all that different from MechaGodzilla."

            "Did MechaGodzilla have a nuclear power source too?" asked Shinji.

            "It did.  But not only was it protected under layers of titanium armor, but it also had a coating of NT-20 artificial diamond armor on top of that to protect it from energy based attacks."  Ishiro smiled amusedly.  "The technology is more advanced in terms of power, but MechaGodzilla makes this robot look like a cardboard cutout in terms of sturdiness."

            "Isn't that armor you mentioned the same armor you suggested for Unit 00?" inquired Misato for the benefit of the other children.

            "It is," replied Ishiro nodding distantly.  Mentally, he braced himself for the explosion to come.

            "WHAT!?" exclaimed Asuka at the top of her lungs, "How come Wondergirl's Unit 00 gets a special upgrade and my Unit 02 doesn't."

            "It's one of the benefits that comes from rebuilding the Eva from the ground up," replied Ishiro, "The reason Unit 02 wasn't given the new armor was because the outermost layer of metal armor has to be specially conditioned to bond with the NT-20.  Otherwise the armor would break too easily under strain of operating the Eva.  In addition, this conditioning is what allows the armor's surface to conduct the energy absorbed by the diamond into the plasma cannon."

            "Why can't we do that for any of the other Eva units?" asked Shinji.

            "The process would require stripping and recasting the entire outermost layer of armor, a process that NERV neither has the time nor the money for.  Furthermore, NT-20 artificial diamond armor is expensive and I doubt we'd be able to afford enough to do more than one Eva."  Ishiro's smile widened.  "Beside's Asuka, you wouldn't like having to lug around that plasma cannon."

            "Speaking of which," commented Misato, "I thought you said that the plasma cannon was integrated into the structure of MechaGodzilla.  Why can't that be done for the Eva?"

            Ishiro replied, "MechaGodzilla's body was designed specifically to house the necessary equipment for channeling energy into and firing the plasma cannon and handling the recoil.  The plasma cannon was central in MechaGodzilla's design because MechaGodzilla was essentially just a platform for the plasma cannon with a few extras.  But even then it was an awkward setup.  The Evangelion just wasn't designed to contain that kind of weapon within its body structure; therefore we had to design a weapon that could be plugged in externally.  We settled on a modified version of the positron rifle used against the Fifth Angel.  There's only one problem though."

            "And what's that?" inquired Touji curiously.

            "We can't figure out how to plug it in."

            Everyone gaped at Ishiro.  How could such an advanced system be thwarted by so simple a problem?

            Ishiro laughed at the faces they made.  "It's not as easy as you would think.  Naturally, the optimal place to plug in the connector for the plasma cannon would be where we would normally insert the umbilical plug.  But obviously that would render the entire system rather useless if it went dead after only five minutes.  Thus, our problem is finding a way to connect the cannon to Unit 00 without interfering with the normal flow of power into the Eva."

            The others nodded.  This made sense.  But the conversation was quickly forgotten as the announcement for the next demonstration came over the PA.  The Jet Alone would be demonstrating the penetrating power of its much lauded AT Buster.

            The testers lined the robot up with a long bar of solid synthetic titanium alloy that was exactly twenty meters long.  The bar was fairly small in other respects, but that would also test the targeting ability of the Jet Alone.  The robot was to fire its AT Buster directly down the length of the bar and spear it through the center.  The anticipation built up as the countdown began.  Thirty seconds from the firing mark, the cannon barrel on the shoulder began to glow with orange light as powerful magnetic fields focused nuclear energy into the most concentrated space possible.  Finally, the countdown reached zero.

            The end of the barrel flared brilliantly and a conical beam of energy streaked towards its target.  However, this cone was inverted, tapering into a smaller point as it got farther away from its source and closer towards its intended target.  With unbelievable accuracy, the blast punched through the titanium bar dead center and passed through its length without even slowing down.

            Misato was in awe of the weapon's power.  "That thing really could punch through an AT field."

            "What a waste of perfectly good synthetic titanium alloy," mourned Ishiro, "As rare as such resources are today; people shouldn't waste them using them for target practice."

            "Ishiro?" asked Hikari reprovingly, "Aren't you worried about what that thing could do to your Eva."

            "Not in the slightest," replied Ishiro calmly, "It is true that the so called AT Buster is a powerful weapon.  It gets even more dangerous the farther the Jet Alone is from its intended target to a certain extent."

            "How's that?" asked Asuka.

            "You must have noticed the inverted cone of the beam.  The farther it progresses from its source, the more concentrated it becomes as the beam converges on itself, putting more power into a smaller space.  It's perfect for a penetration weapon like this one."

            "Then how could you not be worried?" demanded Shinji.

            "There are several overall flaws in the design and intention of this weapon," answered Ishiro, "The first is that it obviously requires a considerable bit of time to build up, leaving an opening for an attack should an opponent get to close.  The second is, that the designers couldn't anticipate the versatility of the AT field."

            "How's that?" asked Misato.

            "You'll understand when you watch tomorrow's test," replied Ishiro.

***

            Ritsuko and the other members of NERV waited tensely for any sign of Manda.  Rei was never allowed to stray far from Unit 00.  The docks were lined with observers who had runners waiting to dash back to the Command Center with a report of when and where the monster would be rising out of the sea.

            While they waited, Ritsuko wondered where Commander Ikari had gotten to.  She hadn't seen the man in a long while.  He hadn't paid any visits to the Command Center or the holding cages recently.  It was almost as if he had dropped off the face of the earth.  Despite this, Ritsuko was secretly relieved that she hadn't seen Ikari at all recently.  The man always seemed to be more of a hindrance than a help.  Not that he actually was one, but he certainly didn't seem to be making any contributions as of late.

            And so they waited for Manda to rear his ugly head and renew his assault on Tokyo 3.  Ritsuko believed without a doubt in what Ishiro had said about Manda's true objective.  _Come Manda, thought Ritsuko, _We're ready for you.__

***

            Night had fallen over the deserts of Nevada.  The visitors had been given a spacious apartment that had more than enough room to contain their number.  Most everyone had gone to bed early that night.  Ishiro however, remained awake, sitting on a couch in the large common area.  He had been troubled recently by a new onslaught of dreams.  In his dreams, the LCL that flooded the cavern holding Lilith exploded outward as something massive surged up from the ground beneath it.  His dreams always ended before he could actually identify what that object was.  However, he knew that it did not bode well for Rei back in Tokyo 3.

            At the thought of the blue-haired, red-eyed girl, Ishiro said a prayer to whatever divine power existed for her safety.  It was likely that she would soon face a terrible threat and face it alone.

            "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" came a voice from the doorway to one of the bedrooms.  Shinji stepped into view.

            "I occasionally have difficulty sleeping," admitted Ishiro, "So it does me no good to try."

            Shinji sat next to Ishiro on the couch.  For a long moment, silence reigned.  Finally, Shinji broke that silence.  "Ishiro, you said that creature that attacked us on the ocean was Battra, right?"

            "Yes."

            "Well, if he had helped to defeat Godzilla before, why was Battra attacking us?"

            "I never said that Battra was an ally to humanity.  He only did it to aid Mothra when they fought Godzilla.  Battra and Mothra simply united against a common enemy.  Battra and Mothra are actually two very different creatures."

            "I also remember you saying that Battra was killed in the battle against Godzilla."

            "I did and that's the way it seemed until he attacked us on our way here."  Ishiro shrugged.  "I honestly don't know whether or not Battra really died."

            "Where did Battra come from?" asked Shinji finally.

            Ishiro smiled.  "Well, there are many different theories as to where Battra came from, but my mother always told me the legend of his origin."

            "What is it?"

            "It would be hard for you to believe, but I guess I can tell you anyway."  The look on Ishiro's face grew distant.  "Many thousands of years ago, there was an ancient civilization that had grown very advanced.  This civilization built a machine that could be used to control the weather anywhere on the Earth.  However, they did not understand that the Earth itself was a living being, with emotions and thoughts of its own, and that this machine greatly offended the Earth.  However, it is likely that even if they did know they wouldn't care.  Anyway, the Earth was livid, so she created the Black Mothra, Battra.  Battra attacked and laid waste to their civilization.  When he destroyed the climate controller, the Earth was overrun by massive flooding, wiping away the last traces of that civilization.  He was finally subdued in battle with Mothra and laid to rest under the sea."

            Shinji sat back and pondered the meaning of the story.  "That almost sounds like Second Impact."

            "Yes," agreed Ishiro, "There are some similarities with the flooding and the destruction."

            "So according to the stories your mother told you, Battra was created by the Earth itself?"

            "Yes, in retaliation for all the evils that this civilization had created."  Ishiro chuckled as he looked over at Shinji.  "But it certainly seems rather far-fetched doesn't it."  Shinji nodded in agreement.

            They sat in silence for a moment; finally, Ishiro broke that silence.  "I understand that you're quire a cook Shinji," he remarked offhandedly.

            "Well," said Shinji sheepishly, "I'm not all that good."

            "You're being too modest," replied Ishiro, putting a friendly hand on Shinji's shoulder.  He was grinning in good humor.

            "I'll bet you're probably better than me," said Shinji sadly.

            "Actually, the only food I've ever been able to make is instant," replied Ishiro, "I'm not really very good at cooking at all."

            Shinji fumbled for a reply, but Ishiro cut him off.  "So how about sharing some of your secrets with me huh?"

            Shinji couldn't help but laugh at the pleading look on Ishiro's face.  "Well…" he began.

            They talked long into the night about one thing or another.  Finally, Ishiro had had enough.  "Well," he said, stretching, "I think I'm ready to try again at sleeping."  He left.  Not much later, Shinji too went to bed.

            As Ishiro lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, he got an idea.  He had been thinking more intently on the situation in Tokyo 3.  He needed to warn Rei.  He needed to inform her that the next attack would be on Terminal Dogma itself.

            Slowly, Ishiro's eyes closed and he sent his mind across the passage of space and time, trying to find some hint of Rei's mind.  After few minutes of searching, he found her consciousness.  She was waiting.  Carefully, so as not to alert her to any mental probing, Ishiro extracted from Rei's consciousness all the information to be found on the situation back home.

            They had been cut off.  Manda was somewhere near Tokyo 3 and was silencing all their attempts at communication.  Rei was never far from Unit 00.  Ishiro realized that they couldn't know about the real threat.  Finally, Ishiro sent his message.  _Rei…_

            Rei had been sleeping in quarters provided for her in headquarters.  Up above, the structures of Tokyo 3 had been lowered into the geofront as a precaution against the impending attack.  She had been resting peacefully, but then…

            _Rei._  The voice echoed through the corridors of her mind.  At first, she was startled by the strange voice in her head.  She sensed the source, waiting for some sort of confirmation that it had been heard.

            _What? she responded._

            _Terminal Dogma is in danger of attack, said the voice._

            _This I know, replied Rei._

            _Not from Manda! exclaimed the voice, _Manda is only a diversion, a distraction to draw your attention from the real threat that will come from the ground below Terminal Dogma itself.__

            _What is it?_

            _There is no time, you must take Unit 00 and stand guard over Lilith.  The voice vanished from her mind, leaving Rei, uncertain about what she was to do._

***

            Ishiro opened his eyes and sighed.  There was little else he could do.  No doubt, they would be unable to penetrate the blanket of silence that Manda had thrown over the city.  Hopefully, Rei could kill or drive away whatever it was that was trying to reach Terminal Dogma.

            Ishiro slowed his breathing and closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep for the next day.

***

            "Commander," Rei's voice came almost timidly from the doorway of Gendo's office.

            "Yes Rei?" inquired Gendo.  It was unlike Rei to come to him for anything.

            "I need to take Unit 00 to Terminal Dogma," was all that Rei said.

            "Why?  Manda is outside the geofront, there is not need to fall back to Terminal Dogma yet."  The Commander raised a wary eyebrow.  This was not like Rei at all to make seemingly irrational requests.

            "I wish to stand guard over Lilith directly," replied Rei evenly, "I believe that Manda may be only a diversion to keep our attention from a threat that will come from below Terminal Dogma."

            "How do you rationalize this?" hissed Ikari.

            "When Manda first came to Tokyo 3, he attacked less than a day after he arrived.  Now, Manda has been in the area for more than three days and he still has not attacked, he is waiting."

            Gendo wasn't sure whether he could allow Rei to go through with this.  Naturally, she knew whatever he knew, but this was unprecedented.  Rei had never used the information he had given her before to formulate her own opinions.  Something strange was going on.  Gendo Ikari resolved to get to the bottom of it.  But first, the matter of Manda and this other possible threat needed to be attended to.

            "Very well," was all that he said.

            He was getting closer.  After plowing through miles of solid rock for weeks on end, he had finally reached his goal.  His horn glowed all the brighter to mirror the excitement he was feeling.  Soon, he would reach his prey and take her home.

***

            The sun rose over the Nevada desert.  The day of the test had arrived.  Ishiro said few words as they prepared for breakfast.  From the look of the darkening of skin under his eyes, it was clear that he had not slept well that night.  Shinji doubted however, that the day's test was the source of his insomnia.  Ishiro did not complain however and only continued calmly with eating breakfast.

            Two hours later, sealed away neatly in the entry plug of Unit 14, Ishiro went out to meet his opponent.  The harsh sun beat down on the armor of the black Eva.  In the cockpit, Ishiro tapped his fingers impatiently, waiting for his target to come into view.

            "Would you hurry up," he snapped, finally tired of how long it was taking these fools to deploy their stupid robot.

            "Such advanced technology as our Jet Alone robot needs preparation time," replied the head of the team controlling the Jet Alone robot.  Even now he still sounded like he was trying to solicit the robot to somebody.  "You'll be pummeled by it soon enough."

            "An enemy wouldn't give you time to prepare," retorted Ishiro, grinning savagely, "So what if I pretended to be an enemy."

            "It doesn't matter.  We're launching the robot now."

            The doors of the underground silo slid open to reveal the hulking form of the Jet Alone robot as it ascended on a platform to the surface.  _Well,_ thought Ishiro, _It looks like we're going to just have to crush this annoying tin can and show these fools just how long a way they still have to go._

            A voice came over the omm..  "The test will begin in five…four…three…two…one…begin!"

            As the countdown reached the starting point, Ishiro threw Unit 14 into motion.  The Eva dodged sideways as the Jet Alone lunged forward to attack.  The massive robot swung with its heavy right arm, attempting to land a punch on its considerably more agile opponent.  Unit 14 dodged around the punch with ease.  As it did so, it brought its right elbow down hard on the extended limb.  The blow shattered the Jet Alone's arm like glass, the forward section crumbling to the ground.

            With a mighty leap, Unit 14 jumped back away from the clumsy machine and waited.  As Ishiro had anticipated, the Jet Alone began to charge up its main weapon, its AT Buster.  He merely smiled and waited while the cannon gained power enough to fire.

            "Ishiro!" shouted Misato, "What are you doing?  You need to take that thing out before it can get off a shot."

            Ishiro knew that he indeed did have the time to simply destroy the robot before it could fir its AT Buster; however, he instead chose to wait.  _We need to show these fools how useful an AT field really can be,_ he thought calmly, _Right Erika?_

_            Of course,_ replied the spirit of Erika calmly.  Ishiro calmly raised Unit 14's hand, palm outward aw if he were going to try and catch the enemy's beam.  Unit 14's palm began to glow orange.

            "What's he doing?" wondered Shinji.

            "It looks like he's going to try and catch that blast like a baseball," remarked Touji.

            "He's more stupid than the stooges!" exclaimed Asuka.  From their position behind the Eva, they couldn't see the orange glow of its palm.

            Ishiro waited calmly for the attack to come.  Suddenly, he raised his eyebrow.  _Now!_

            At that exact moment, the Jet Alone fired.  The beam from its AT Buster quickly narrowed as it neared the Eva.  However, Ishiro had placed Unit 14's hand directly in the path of the beam.  As the beam hit the Eva's open palm, it dispersed against the orange glowing surface and flowed in weak streams around the edges of the Eva's hand and between the fingers, splashing uselessly against its armor.

            "What is that?" gasped Hikari, amazed.

            "It looks like he concentrated all his AT field's power into his Eva's palm, where it could be easily moved to intercept the incoming blast," observed Misato, "He really did know what he was doing."

            Ishiro was not done yet however.  With but a thought, he sent his Eva charging forward, hand extended to block the continuing blast issuing from the Jet Alone's AT Buster.  When Unit 14 reached the robot, it clamped its shielded hand down tight on the barrel from which the attack had issued forth.  The effect was almost immediate.  Small explosions blossomed all across the robot's body.  The Jet Alone began to come apart at the seams.  Even as it did so, its nuclear reactor shut down to keep from setting off a massive nuclear explosion.  Defeated, the remains of the once powerful machine sagged to the ground, never to move again.

            "Well," commented Ishiro, "I suppose that that seals the fate of the Jet Alone series.  They'll never be able to compete with the adaptability of the Eva or the AT field."

***

            Rei waited calmly in the bowels of NERV for her enemy to appear.  Per her request, Unit 00 had been stationed in Terminal Dogma itself to intercept the threat she believed would come to here directly.  Much to her surprise, Rei didn't have to wait long.

            She had positioned her Eva so that it stood directly in front of Lilith where she was suspended on her massive cross.  In front of Unit 00, the floor of the massive cavern seemed to disappear.  LCL flowed into the hole like bathwater running down a giant drain.  Through the rushing current, a large creature leapt from the hole like some titanic, grotesque frog.

            The monster must have been approximately twenty-five meters tall.  Its skin was light brown color that matched that of the earth around it.  A series of low ridges ran down the length of its back and down its tail.  Its ears were almost like the fins of some sort of amphibian as they jutted out behind the beast's head.  Its most prominent feature was the glowing horn that jutted straight out of its face, right between the two very large and round eyes.  Its broad mouth was lined with razor sharp teeth that gleamed white in the darkness of Terminal Dogma.  The creature moved about on all fours, crouching mostly on its back legs as if it were waiting to spring.

            And spring it did, right for Unit 00's neck.  Rei was unprepared for the creature's speed and failed to react in time to keep the monster from landing on her Eva's chest and sinking its teeth into the Eva's neck.  Rei brought Unit 00's fist up and smashed it on the monster's head.  The monster released Unit 00's neck and dropped to the ground.  However, instead of hitting limply, the creature jumped the instant its feet had enough purchase, carrying it away from Unit 00.

            The monster began to leap around like a maddened cricket.  It jumped from side to side, up, forwards, backwards, bouncing off of walls and ceilings, crazily.  Rei tried hard to keep up with the monster's incredible movement, but found that it was moving too fast.  Without warning, the beast careened off one of the cavern walls and smashed into Unit 00's right shoulder.  Such was the force of the blow that the Eva was thrown to the ground almost instantly.  The creature bounced away again, only to come back, heading straight for Unit 00's head.  This time however, Rei lashed out with her Eva's foot, kicking the monster straight in the face.  She winced in pain as the horn projecting from the creature's forehead punctured the sole.  The creature was thrown across the cavern, Unit 00's blood staining the tip of its horn.

            Rei got her Eva back to its feet and faced off once again with her adversary.  They began to size one another up.  At a quarter of the Eva's size and probably about a tenth its weight, the monster hardly seemed a match for the mighty man-made machine.  However, Rei now knew from experience that this kaiju was far more dangerous than it seemed.

***

            The Command Center was in an uproar.  No one had expected a monster to attack Terminal Dogma itself.  In addition to this, the monster down there certainly wasn't Manda.  Ritsuko and the three technicians frantically monitored the condition of the Eva.

            "Unit 00 appears to be mostly unharmed," reported Maya.

            "Mostly?" said Ritsuko, raising an eyebrow.

            "It does have a puncture on one foot but it's hardly anything life threatening."

            "Where on Earth could this monster have come from?" wondered Shigeru, "I can't believe that it tunneled into Terminal Dogma directly."

            "So," mumbled Gendo from where he had seated himself, "It appears that Rei's intuition was correct after all."

            Fuyutsuki nodded in agreement, and then asked, "What will we call this kaiju."

            "This kaiju will be designated Baragon," stated Ikari firmly.

            "Understood."

***

            Unit 00 and Baragon faced one another, waiting.  Baragon's lips curled back and the monster snarled menacingly.  It was clear that he had no intention of backing down from this challenge.  In Unit 00, Rei waited patiently, hoping for some sort of opening that would allow her to finish off this creature.

            Baragon tensed and Rei prepared for the attack.  The kaiju leapt straight for Unit 00's face, its jaws open wide.  Just as Rei was about to counter, the back of Baragon's throat glowed orange and red and the monster spit fire at her Eva.  Plasma, not all that dissimilar from Godzilla's atomic heat beam, save for the fact that it was not radioactive in nature.

            The plasma was very hot and would have undoubtedly melted through Unit 00's armor with very little resistance.  However, the NT-20 artificial diamond armor did its job and the energy of the blast was absorbed by the coating and channeled into a special battery situated near the umbilical plug.  Unit 00's fist lashed out and slammed into Baragon's jaws, knocking out several teeth and sending the monster hurtling backwards, ending the torrent of plasma.  Looking at the battery's power reading, she saw that it was about halfway full.

            "Dr. Akagi," Rei called over the Comm., "I have a plan."

***

            "What do you want?" asked Ritsuko.

            "Send down the prototype plasma cannon," ordered Rei, "I will use it on Baragon."

            "But how?" Maya wanted to know, "In order to plug it into the energy pool, you would have to remove the umbilical cable. That would only give you five minutes of operating time."

            "It may be enough," replied Rei calmly.

            "Do it," ordered Ritsuko.

***

            In the storage bay where the plasma cannon was being readied, work crews frantically strapped it into cables that were then hooked onto a crane so that it could be lowered into Terminal Dogma for use by Unit 00.  Once the cannon was hooked up, it was transported and lowered slowly down the enormous shaft that lead down to the cavern.  As soon as this had been accomplished, the technicians began to slowly lower the weapon down into the shaft.

***

            Unit 00 stood firm as Baragon unleashed another blast of plasma at it.  After a moment of soaking up the energy, Rei sent the Eva bursting through the curtain of flames and charging at the monster.  Baragon leapt backwards away from Unit 00.  Not pausing as its feet touched the ground; Baragon pushed off and leapt for the Evangelion.  Rei threw out the Eva's arms and knocked Baragon away.

            Baragon hit the ground running and bounded around Unit 00 to attack from the rear.  Rei had difficulty keeping up with the agile creature, spinning her Eva to keep it in front of her.  Tired of trying to get behind the Eva, Baragon simply charged straight at it and leapt to the side at the last minute.  Caught by the feint, Unit 00 had lunged forward to counter the attack.  It was still off balance when Baragon came hurtling at it from the side.  Having no other option, Rei had her Eva throw itself to the ground as Baragon flew overhead.

            At that moment, Ritsuko's voice came over the omm..  "The rifle should be reaching your position in approximately thirty seconds."

            "Understood," replied Rei.  Getting Unit 00 to its feet, she positioned the Eva beneath the shaft leading up to the upper reaches of headquarters and readied herself to receive the rifle as it came down.  She would have to be quick, removing her umbilical cable and plugging in the rifle to the power supply.  Baragon took the opportunity to spit more plasma at the Eva which Rei ignored as the power gauge reached the top.

            There it was, the rifle, being lowered as a fast as possible, trailing the power cord behind it.  Unit 00 caught the weapon its arms.  Holding the gun tucked under one arm, the Eva caught hold of the plug in its free hand.  Rei then ejected the umbilical plug and inserted the rifle's plug as fast as possible.  Immediately, a counter appeared at the edge of her vision, showing that she only had five minutes of operating time left.  Bracing the rifle's stock against its shoulder, the Eva readied the weapon to fire.

            "Transferring power from energy pool to plasma cannon," reported Rei.  The power gauge showing the amount of energy harvested from the NT-20 artificial diamond armor dropped, while a corresponding gauge showing the charge of the plasma cannon rose.  When the plasma cannon was fully charged, Rei carefully aimed at Baragon.

            During the whole battle, Rei had been exceptionally careful to make sure that she kept her Eva positioned between Baragon and Lilith.  She had failed once or twice, but at each point, Baragon seemed more interested in removing the threat her Eva presented than heading for Lilith.  Now, as she aimed her shot and made Unit 00 kneel down on one knee to brace for the recoil, she lined up the shot so that the blast, if it didn't kill the monster outright, would send Baragon flying back into the hole from which he came.  As she aimed, the monster reared up on its hind legs and unleashed another torrent of plasma energy at her, which only served to refill the energy pool which she had drained to charge the plasma cannon.

            Rei waited as patiently as she could while the targeting cursor moved over the monster and the seconds passed rapidly, her time left dwindling as the numbers reached closer and closer to zero.  In truth, she had a little more than four whole minutes left, but her desperation seemed to shorten each second exponentially, making time seem to go even faster.  Finally, a tone sounded.  She had a lock on Baragon.  Using another precious second, Rei double-checked that everything was ready, and then pulled the trigger.

            Immediately, the Eva was rocked by the powerful recoil.  Only the fact that it had braced itself on one knee kept Unit 00 from toppling over backwards as the gun kicked back.  For moment, Rei was blinded by the brilliant flare of gold light that filled her vision.  The blast of energy streaked towards Baragon, striking him full in the chest.  The beast was instantly thrown backwards by the force of the blast, flying neatly into the hole it had created just as Rei had planned.  Baragon hit the sloping roof of the tunnel and ricocheted out of sight.  As the monster left the line of fire, the plasma beam struck the roof of the tunnel, turning it into a shower of debris, filling the entrance and blocking the path by which the creature had come.

            Rei channeled all the power remaining in the energy pool into the plasma cannon.  It wasn't anywhere near a full charge, but she hoped it would be enough should Baragon come back.  Rei waited, carefully training the plasma cannon on the collapsed entrance of the tunnel, expecting the rock and debris to explode outward and the monster to burst back into the cavern.  She waited tensely until Unit 00's time ran out.  The vast windows of the cockpit faded away into the metallic walls of the entry plug.  Unit 00 was out of power.

            Because the Eva no longer had any power flowing into its systems, it was unable to replace its umbilical cable.  Gendo immediately sent down a tech crew to plug the umbilical cable back in so that Unit 00 would be ready should Baragon return.

            The monster did not come back.  Even as all eyes were turned tensely on Terminal Dogma, Shigeru noticed that communications had been restored.  Manda had apparently departed for parts unknown.

            Ritsuko did not hesitate to contact Misato.

***

            "You're kidding," exclaimed Misato over the phone.

            "That's the reason you didn't hear from us for over a week.  Manda apparently took up residence in our harbor so that this other monster, Baragon, could attack Terminal Dogma directly."  Ritsuko had called Misato while they were transporting Unit 14 back to Tokyo 3.

            "You weren't the only one who had problems with monsters," replied Misato, "We had to deal with both Godzilla and some creature Ishiro called Battra on our way over."

            "Another monster!  How many more of these things are there?"

            "They must be a follow up for the Angels," remarked Misato.

            "Well, since you didn't call, I can assume that no major damage was done," said Ritsuko.

            "If Manda had disrupted your communications, how did you know that I didn't call you?" asked Misato.

            "Two things," answered Ritsuko, "First, if you tried to call us and couldn't reach us because of the blackout, you would have sent Shinji and Asuka over right away because that would imply that Manda might be back.  Second, if you had called and couldn't reach us, the first words out of your mouth when I called you would be 'I've been trying to call you'."

            "You have a point," conceded Misato.

            "Anyway, after today we can say that the plasma cannon has been successfully tested," announced Ritsuko.

            "Why's that?" Misato wanted to know.

            "We were forced to use it in the fight against Baragon," Ritsuko answered back, "And other than the fact that we haven't been able to come up with a way to work around the umbilical power system, it functioned flawlessly."

            "That's good to know," commented Misato.

            "So how did the combat test go?"

            "It went great.  Ishiro completely totaled the Jet Alone robot.  He even managed to effectively counter its AT Buster by concentrating the full power of Unit 14's AT field into a small space; he was able to combat the beam's penetrating power."

            "That's good to know.  At least now, the Jet Alone project won't be stealing any of our funding until their next 'big advance'."

            "Does that mean I can get a raise?"

            "Not on your life Katsuragi."

***

            Upon boarding the carrier for the trip home, Ishiro had locked himself into his cabin and hadn't emerged for quite some time.  Shinji and Asuka had both attempted to coax him out without success.  He did not emerge from his room for a week except for meals, which he bolted down as quickly as possible, returning to his room as soon as he finished.

            Then, a week after they left the U.S, the door to Ishiro's cabin swung opened.  He rushed out of the room and ran up to the flight deck where he looked around frantically.  There, he spotted Shinji and Asuka as they looked out at the ocean over the edge of the flight deck.  Ishiro rushed over to them and grabbed both of them in a bone crushing bear hug.

            "I DID IT!" he shouted gleefully, "IdiditIdiditIdidit!"

            "Did what," choked Shinji, working around the hold Ishiro had on him.

            "I figured out how Godzilla can regenerate so quickly.  I've managed to isolate Regenerator G-1!"  Ishiro was positively ecstatic.

            "You did?" gasped Asuka, finally managing to pry Ishiro's arm from her shoulders.

            "That's great," said Shinji, as he finally broke free from his own imprisonment.

            "So what are you going to do now?" Asuka asked.

            Ishiro managed to calm down enough to answer.  "I'm going to research its possible applications to medicine."

            "Like you told Touji," remarked Shinji.  Ishiro nodded.  "That's great."

***

            It plunged onward.  Already it had passed through the cloud of meteors that separated the orbits of Jupiter and Mars.  As it did so, a powerful magnetic field emanating from it served to pull the cloud of meteors around it, shrouding it further from identification.  It was now only mere weeks from its goal.  Soon, it would arrive at its destination and finish its grim work.  It had tried once before to destroy the planet that had nearly become its grave, now that it had finally regained its strength, it planned to finish the job.  The planet Earth would become a bed of ashes.  And the black beast that had repelled it before would become a smoldering corpse.

For this chapter I really started to reach out.  Part of this story borrows from GMK.  Hopefully, if my writing is good enough, this will make more sense as the story goes on.  By now, almost all of you (if not all of you) have figured out who my visitor from outer space is.  For those of you who don't know, I'll keep from releasing any spoilers, provided the reviews don't already give it away.  My postings are starting to catch up with the number of chapters that I've written.  I'll post one more time next week, and then I'm taking a brief brake from this story to work on a couple of others.  As a little heads up, keep your eyes peeled for the final chapters of my Zoids story on Anime Admirers.  I've also got a Rurouni Kenshin fic in the works that'll also be making its debut on Anime Admirers.  That's all for now.


	11. Battle Against Three Monsters: Unit 14 U...

Disclaimer: I don't own Evangelion or Godzilla (I just ran out of semi-clever ways of saying it).

**Chapter 11:** Battle Against Three Monsters: Unit 14 Unleashed

            Ishiro was in the lab…again.  He had stayed there almost constantly the entire week after returning from America.  Having unraveled the secrets of Godzilla's regenerative abilities only meant a whole new kind of work for Ishiro to complete.  He had found what he was looking for, now he had to figure out how to put it to good use.  For the most part, this meant testing the different ways Regenerator G-1 operated to find the way that best suited human use.

            Having return from the combat tests in America, Ishiro canceled all his scheduled synch tests and locked himself in his lab for up to two days at a stretch.  He even skipped returning home to his apartment for sleep, opting instead to set up temporary quarters in headquarters near his lab.  Nobody, save Ritsuko, had so much as exchanged more than a few brief words with him.  And the only thing she got were reports on the progress of his testing.

            Finally, on the eighth day of his self imposed confinement, Ishiro stumbled wearily out of his lab, calling Ritsuko briefly to announce that he was done with his work.  After walking, almost drunkenly, down the hall a few steps, Ritsuko caught up with him and managed to help support him on his left side.  "So you've done it?" she asked for conformation.

            "Yep," replied Ishiro wearily, "I've harnessed Regenerator G-1, or at least I think I have."

            "Have you tested it?" she asked cautiously.  She didn't want to push him too hard when he was in this state, but she wanted to make sure that he did all his homework before announcing the finished product.

            "The test will be finished soon," replied Ishiro evenly, "All we can do is wait and pray that I don't have to reach for the axe."

            "The axe…?" Ritsuko was confused.

            Ishiro raised his right arm for her to see.  Instead of the normal prosthetic hand, it was capped with what looked like a canister of LCL.  "You mean," hissed Ritsuko worriedly, "That you're testing this stuff on yourself."

            Ishiro nodded calmly.  "What I've found is that Regenerator G-1 fails to function unless it is irradiated.  With chemotherapy, I was able to supply the necessary radiation, but not enough to speed it up to the rate that Godzilla can sustain."

            "So Regenerator G-1 has to be irradiated before it does its work," summarized Ritsuko.  She was rewarded with a nod.  "That would make the whole treatment process much more expensive unless…"

            "The regenerator was irradiated beforehand and then dispensed while it was still radioactive," finished Ishiro, "I've tried that and so far, all results point to yes.  In fact, this would seem to work even better than giving the patient chemotherapy because Regenerator G-1 can store larger amounts of radioactivity than the human body, so it has plenty to spare when it multiplies in the human body and also speeds the recovery process."

            "But why did you talk about having to reach for the axe?" Ritsuko wanted to know.

            "Godzilla's cell structure is very volatile and highly susceptible to mutation.  It is possible that Regenerator G-1 might have something to do with that.  If that is the case and it causes some sort of mutation within my own hand, I have to be prepared to remove it."

            "I have one other question," said Ritsuko.

            "Shoot."

            "Why do you have an LCL canister over your arm?  If Regenerator G-1 is really as powerful as you claim, it should be able to function in any environment."

            Ishiro nodded.  "That is true; however, this has nothing to do with the properties of Regenerator G-1 itself, rather the human body is not accustomed to having previously removed parts growing back, so I use LCL to create an environment in which my hand can grow back.  Also, it was the perfect way to store the regenerator itself."

            "I see."  Said Ritsuko, though it was clear that she was slightly confused.

            "Any more questions Dr. Akagi?" inquired Ishiro, raising an eyebrow.

            "No," said Ritsuko quickly, "Carry on."

            "Thank you."

            "Oh," said Ritsuko behind him, "One other thing."

            "Yes?"  Ishiro turned around to regard Ritsuko.

            "While you had yourself locked in the lab, we figured out how to properly connect the plasma cannon with Unit 00 without having to remove the umbilical cable."

            "That's good," said Ishiro elatedly.

            "We created a single plug with an extra attachment for the rifle.  It operates on a switch system.  When Unit 00's energy pool is fully charged, it will switch from umbilical power to an outlet and transfer that energy to the rifle.  When the transfer is complete, the Eva would then switch back to umbilical power."  Ritsuko was beaming.

            "An excellent idea," remarked Ishiro, "I'm glad that we have now answered that particular problem.  Thank you very much Dr. Akagi."

            "You're welcome," said Ritsuko, smiling as he started away again.

            Touji was visiting his sister in the hospital.  Mari was resting when he arrived so he quietly sat by her bed, keeping her company.  Even though he was no longer officially a pilot, his sister was still in the care of the NERV medical facilities.  Touji was more than slightly peeved by the fact that they still seemed to be no closer to alleviating her condition.  A good portion of her body had been crushed by debris in that battle almost a year ago against the 3rd Angel.  It had taken months of life support and reconstructive surgery to get her to the point where she could live without a machine pumping her lungs full of air and keeping her heart beating.  She continued to be fed intravenously though and it was doubtful that even the NERV specialists would ever be able to restore her to the point where she could walk again.  Her upper body was making process and she could move her arms and sit up, but she lacked her old strength.

            At one point Touji wondered if NERV even intended to actually do anything for Mari now that he was no longer a pilot.  Now that he wasn't of any use to them, they wouldn't need to waste money on helping Mari to recover as an incentive.  Touji soon found that he was wrong when his visit was interrupted by the arrival of none other than Dr. Ritsuko Akagi herself.

            "Hello Touji," she said pleasantly, "How is Mari doing today?"

            "She's doing alright for what she's been through," replied Touji.  He sighed.  "Dr. Akagi, is there really anything that you can do for her or is this hopeless?"

            Ritsuko frowned.  "To be honest Touji, it was hopeless.  There's no treatment known to science that can completely restore someone who's this far gone."  Touji rested his face in his hands.  Then, Ritsuko smiled optimistically.  "However, I have some very good news.  Ishiro Saegusa has finished his research into the applications of Regenerator G-1.  He is in the process of conducting the first human test on regenerating his own hand.  If that test concludes successfully he will probably need to test it on someone else as well.  If you wish, either you or your sister could be the second test subject."

            Touji considered it.  "I want to go before Mari.  Ishiro's told me all about how volatile G-Cells can be and I'd hate myself forever if the treatment went wrong with Mari and she had to be…" he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

            "I wouldn't worry," replied Ritsuko, "Ishiro has told me how easily it can be controlled.  Furthermore, his willingness to use himself as the first experiment demonstrates his faith in both the effectiveness and the safety of these methods."

            "Yeah," agreed Touji, "But still…"

            "I wouldn't worry about it," said Ritsuko reassuringly, "Ishiro isn't the kind of person to risk the lives of others as guinea pigs in his experiments.  He wouldn't use Regenerator G-1 on your sister unless he was absolutely sure of its safety."

            It was late afternoon when Ishiro got home.  He was surprised to find a message on his answering machine.  It was from Shinji.  "We heard from Misato that you finished your research.  I was wondering if you'd like to come over and have dinner with us tonight.  Call me back."

            Ishiro smiled and picked up the phone.  He dialed Shinji's number and was rewarded with Shinji's voice on the other end of the line.  "This is Ishiro," he said, "I'd love to come over for dinner with you guys.  Just one question though.  Who's cooking?"

            "I am," replied Shinji.

            "Good.  Dr. Akagi warned me about Major Katsuragi's cooking."  This prompted a laugh from Shinji.  "I take it that she wasn't exaggerating either."

            "Well…" said Shinji indecisively, he wasn't a person used to insulting others.

            "What time is dinner?" asked Ishiro.

            "Six," came the reply quickly.  Shinji was more than glad that he did not have to malign his surrogate mother.

            "Do you mind if Rei comes?" inquired Ishiro.

            "Why?"  Shinji was still slightly uncomfortable given what he now knew about the enigmatic, blue-haired girl.

            "It's been a while since I've seen her.  I know that you see her almost every day at school and at synch tests, but after I got back from America I locked myself in my lab for a week straight and I haven't seen her at all.

            "Do you like her?" asked Shinji hesitantly, wondering if he should tell Ishiro the truth about who and what Rei was.

            "I see her as a friend for now Shinji.  And before you say anything, I already know about Rei and who she is.  That still doesn't change the fact that she is a person in her own right.  Regardless of where she came from you still need to see her as a human being or she truly will be nothing but the freak puppet the Commander made her to be."  Ishiro relaxed after his short tirade.  He didn't like to lecture Shinji but for some odd reason he was very defensive on the subject of Rei Ayanami, a girl he did not see, much less talk to, on a frequent basis.  Ishiro Saegusa, a person who through his unique abilities so easily came to understand the minds of other found the true mysteries to be lurking within his own mind; a place that ironically, he could not probe with his psychic abilities and reveal all to be read like a simple book.

            Another thing was that Ishiro refused to mention the Commander's name or mention that he was Shinji's father in Shinji's presence.  Ishiro saw Shinji as a friend, but in difference with Shinji's opinion, he saw his father as the enemy.  While Shinji no longer viewed his father in a positive light (and it is doubtful that he ever did), he did not yet view the man as a foe, a dangerous position for one who was supposed to be the defender of all mankind; a very dangerous position considering the true plans of the man that was his father.  Ishiro had to make Shinji understand that he could not hope to find solace in his father ever unless he managed to put an end to the man's plan for humanity.

            "I'm sorry about that," he said softly.

            "No," replied Shinji, his voice unusually firm.  Ishiro's remark about Rei being Commander Ikari's grotesquely human puppet seemed to have struck a nerve within the boy, a part of his mind that continued to see Rei as the human that she was and had the potential to be.  "You're right.  Where Rei comes from doesn't matter, it's who she decides she is that will make the difference.  Thanks for setting me straight Ishiro, and I'll make room at the table for Rei too."

            "Thank you Shinji," said Ishiro, "I'll be there at six and so will Rei."  He hung up.  There was still plenty of time to call Rei and get ready.  However, Ishiro had many things on his mind, how to thwart Commander Ikari and save humanity being foremost among them.  For a moment, Ishiro pondered the irony that he was arrogant enough to believe that he was mankind's sole savior, fighting against a man who was of the same holier than thou attitude.  _This may yet turn into nothing more than a battle of egos,_ he thought wryly.

            There were other things to consider though, among them the appearance of the three mysterious monsters Battra, Manda, and Baragon, who appeared to have taken a rather unhealthy interest into the fate of Lilith, the 2nd Angel.  Ishiro had seen that Battra's goals were one in the same with the other two when he attacked the Pacific Fleet, hunting it down because of the presence of a Lilith-like entity among the ships.  Unit 14 after all was one of the two Evas born of Lilith rather than Adam, putting it into a unique situation.  Furthermore, the monsters demonstrated an incredible level of coordination as was shown by their latest attacks.  Manda had moved in to cut off Tokyo 3 from the world while at the same time distracting its defenders from the real threat that approached from below in the form of the subterranean Baragon.

            And finally there were the dreams of one Asuka Langley Sohryu, dreams of terrible destruction wrought by some as of yet unknown god of death and despair.  These horrid images were the product of a mind that Ishiro knew, yet this knowledge brought him anything but comfort.  If a warning came from such a source, then it was best if treated with absolute seriousness.

            However, those thoughts were best if saved for another time.  The threat was not imminent yet and Ishiro needed time to rest before he faced his next crisis.  So he reached over, picked up the phone and dialed the number for Rei Ayanami.

            Rei was alone in her apartment, as usual.  Despite Ishiro's recommendation that she seek human contact, Rei had yet to truly open herself up to others.  Thus, she was most surprised to hear her phone ring in the dusty silence of the old room.

            "Rei?" came the voice from the other end of the line.  It was unmistakably Ishiro's.

            "What is it?" she asked softly.  She was still confused as to what she thought about the mysterious boy.  She had figured out long ago that he was anything but what he seemed.  Now she had to figure out what that 'anything' was.

            "I was wondering if you wanted to come with me when I went over to dinner at Shinji's?" said Ishiro.  His voice was candid but somewhat timid.  She wondered why the boy was suddenly so unsure of himself.

            "Why?" asked Rei simply.

            "Because were friends Rei.  I think you would have a good time if you came over to dinner with us.  It will help you to open up to others more, see what it is really like to be human."  Ishiro's voice was more confident now that he was reinforcing what he had told her several weeks ago.  "The first thing you need to know about being human is that humans have an innate need to relax and enjoy themselves once and a while."

            Rei pondered the question for several moments before answering.  Ishiro waited patiently.  "Very well," she answered, "When is dinner?"

            "It'll be at six," replied Ishiro, "I'll see you there."

            "Wait!" said Rei suddenly, "Will you walk with me?  I feel the need for companionship."

            On the other side of the line, Ishiro's smile widened.  Just another sign that Rei was beginning to catch on.  "I would be glad to."

            "Then goodbye," she said softly into the receiver and hung up.

            For a moment, Rei just stood there.  Why had she just asked Ishiro to walk with her over to Ikari's home?  _Shinji's home, she mentally corrected herself, remembering what she had learned from Ishiro before.  She sighed after thinking about it for a moment.  Just another part of being human, she guessed._

            At the Katsuragi/Ikari/Sohryu household, Shinji was setting the table for dinner.  Asuka came into the kitchen after taking a shower.  Her eyes narrowed when she saw the table.  "Don't you know how to count baka," she said tartly, "There's four of us for dinner with Ishiro coming, not five."

            "Ishiro said he was going to invite Rei to come too," said Shinji, mentally bracing himself for the explosion to come.

            It came.  "WHAT!" Asuka nearly screamed, "I DIDN'T SAY THAT WONDERGIRL WOULD BE COMING OVER TO THIS PLACE ANYTIME SOON!  THERE'S NO WAY I'M GOING TO LET THAT DOLL INTO MY HOUSE!"

            "Apartment," Shinji corrected with a whisper.

            "Whatever," snapped Asuka, "Listen, I don't know what you or Ishiro see in that doll, but there's no way I'm letting her into my home."

            "It's not just your home," replied Shinji firmly, "It belongs to me and Misato too.  One of these days you're just going to have to learn to accept Rei Asuka.  She's here now and there's nothing that you can do that will make her go away."

            Asuka was going to start throwing insults, trying to demean and threaten the 3rd Child into submission, but her mind came to a halt at that thought.  Hadn't she vowed not to push him away like that after she had finally woken up from her coma?  Hadn't she come to accept him as a person, as a friend, as her boyfriend?  They had shared their feelings with one another, shared embraces, and even shared a kiss or two.  Asuka didn't want to throw all that away because of a single dispute.  Furthermore, she had heard the iron in Shinji's voice and realized that no argument from her was going to change his mind.  So she simply snorted irritably and stomped into the living room, pausing only long enough at the door to shoot Shinji a glare before going over to the couch.  Shinji sighed as he watched her go.  He was surprised that he hadn't lost a few limbs in that last exchange, but either he was getting more of a spine or Asuka was starting to ease up on the people around her, perhaps both.  If Asuka was finally starting to relax and accept others, faults included, she might yet one day accept Rei.  But that still seemed to be a long way off yet.

            Shinji went over to the counter and began to gather the ingredients and tools for dinner.

            Rei sat on the edge of her bed, staring into empty space.  She often did this.  For a long time she had simply done what was required of her, eating sleeping, doing homework, automatically; and when she had nothing to do, she simply did nothing until she was called upon to do something.  It did not occur to her that humans quite naturally seek something to occupy their time when they had nothing to do.  It was the way of a tool to wait until somebody had use for it, the way of a doll.

            Rei rose from her bed at Ishiro's knock and opened the door for him.  Ishiro came into the apartment, looked around, sniffed the air, and sneezed.  _The dust on the walls must be an inch thick, he thought.  He looked at Rei, who stood silently and motionlessly before him, wearing her school uniform, which was doubtlessly the only kind of clothing she possessed.  _It's going to be very difficult to get her over these habits,_ he thought worriedly, _She treats herself as a piece of equipment._  __But for tonight we can put these problems aside and get Rei used to the idea of socializing with others._

            He smiled widely at the girl.  "Ready to go?" he asked.

            "Yes," she said, her face expressionless, or so it seemed.  However, Ishiro also saw the slight twitch at the edges of her mouth, the beginnings of a genuine smile.  _It may not be so hard for her, he thought._

            "Let's go then."  He stepped away from the door and walked next to Rei as they made their way down to street level.  From there they began to walk from the almost abandoned line of buildings towards the Katsuragi/Ikari/Sohryu residence.  It was a fair walk but they had plenty of time.  Ishiro kept their pace nice and easy.  Looking up he saw that the sky was beginning to darken slightly, the beginnings of dusk.

            The air was warm, a residual effect of the radical climate changes that had taken place during Second Impact.  When one added the greenhouse effect and the ever present results of global warming it was amazing that the planet was still habitable at all.  However, when one factored in the reduction in the human population, resulting from the catastrophe of Second Impact itself and supplemented by the social upheaval that followed, humanity's impact on the planet had been greatly reduced.  Several previously industrialized nations had been knocked almost all the way back into the Bronze Age, some others along the coast being wiped off the map completely.  Rebellion and anarchy abounded and it was more than a year before order had once again been restored.  In some areas, nature reclaimed territory it had lost in the war of development.  Forests grew over farms, pastures were replenished; in the absence of man, the world actually began to heal.  It was ironic that both good and ill had come about because of Second Impact.

            "How is school going?" he asked suddenly.

            "It is going well," replied Rei blandly.  She was slightly confused as to the purpose of his question.  She did not yet understand the art of making conversation.

            "Have you made any new friends?" he inquired, smiling pleasantly.

            "No," she answered simply, "Why are you asking?"

            "I just want to know how you're doing Rei.  Even if you don't see yourself as an actual person yet doesn't mean I don't.  What we are practicing now is an art called mundane conversation.  You could say that it is in part ascertaining the status of the other individual, yet it is also more often than not a way to simply pass the time and enjoy the presence of another's companionship."  Ishiro's soft brown eyes met Rei's blood red, icy stare.

            The edges of Rei's mouth twitched upwards.  "I have much progress to make," she observed.  Then she rewarded Ishiro with a true smile.  "How have you been Ishiro?" she asked, imitating Ishiro's pleasant tone.

            _Very good Rei, he thought approvingly.  Out loud he said, "I have been doing well.  My research into Regenerator G-1 has yielded success and I have begun testing it."  He held up his right arm.  For the first time, she noticed the canister of LCL capping the end of the limb._

            "So you will soon have your hand back," she remarked.

            "I hope so," agreed Ishiro, "But with something as volatile as G-Cells you can never be sure."

            "I am certain that you have performed the experiment correctly," assured Rei, trying to encourage him.

            "Success, as it is defined in science, is not determined by the results themselves, but rather from the information that can be gathered from those results."  He looked intently at his hand for a moment.  "If my hand doesn't grow back properly, or not at all, the experiment will still be a success if I can determine why and how.  I would then try it differently next time.  The process is slow depending on the number of variables.  And with Regenerator G-1 there are quite a few variables."

            "I hope that you achieve the desired result the first time," said Rei, "It would mean good things for people here, especially people like Suzahara and his sister."

            Ishiro nodded.  "I would like to help Suzahara and his sister very much.  They have both lost so much because of the Evas and Angels.  It would be nice if we could give back at least part of what we've taken."

            Rei nodded.  They walked on in silence for a while.  This time, it was a comfortable silence.  Rei was beginning to understand what it was like to enjoy the simple company of another human being.  _It is better than being alone,_ she reflected, _Companionship is a pleasurable experience._  It was not much longer before they reached the apartment.

            They walked up to the door and Ishiro rang the bell.  When Shinji opened the door, Ishiro said brightly, "We're here."

            "Come in," said Shinji, smiling pleasantly.

            They entered the apartment and made their way towards the kitchen.  Misato was not yet in from work, but her place at the table was marked by the two cans of beer set out to appease her after work needs.  Asuka was presently in the living room, watching TV.  Though, the instant Rei came into her field of vision, Asuka promptly began to glare daggers at the girl.  Rei, for her part, ignored Asuka's angry stare and simply picked a chair at the dinner table and sat down.

            "Misato should be back in a few minutes," said Shinji, checking his watch.  At that moment, there was a hissing in the hallway as the front door slid open and Misato came into the apartment.

            The woman stumbled tiredly into the kitchen and upon seeing the two beers lurched towards them.  She picked up one can, opened it, and chugged it down in eight seconds.  "Yeehaw!" she exploded, "That's the stuff life is made of!"  Then, after disposing of the first, Misato opened the second can and took her place at the table as she slowly sipped from it, her eyes closed peacefully.

            Ishiro looked at Shinji and raised an eyebrow.  Shinji merely shrugged in response.  "I don't know," he admitted, "She's done that for as long as I've known her."

            "Mrs. Katsuragi," said Ishiro, astounded, "You wouldn't happen to have a hidden stash of spare livers would you?"

            Asuka's laughter could be heard from the living room.  Misato glared at Ishiro.  "Listen pal," she growled menacingly, "You should learn not to criticize women so much or else you'll ruin your love life."

            "Who said I was ever being plural in my criticism," retorted Ishiro.  He raised both eyebrows when he saw her knock back the rest of the can she was working on and head to the refrigerator to pull out another two.  But just as she was about to close the door, the door of the refrigerator across the room slid open and Pen Pen emerged.  He waddled over to where Misato was and pulled one of the cans from her grasp.  In an instant, Misato whipped around and snatched the can back from the penguin.  The glare she gave him made him duck around the side of the fridge and hide.  After Misato left for the table, he came back around the front and opened the door, pulling out a can of his own.

            Ishiro's eyes were the size of dinner plates as he watched Pen Pen head back to his refrigerator, beer in flipper, and step inside.  "Excuse me," he barely managed to say, "But when did the circus come into town."

            "Oh that's Pen Pen," said Shinji calmly, "He likes beer too."

            "I can see that," commented Ishiro.

            "Anyway, dinner's ready," said Shinji.  They took their places at the dinner table.  Asuka noticeably taking a seat as far away from Rei as she possibly could.  They ate quietly, nobody having much to say.

            Rei was starting to get unsettled by how much Asuka glared at her.  Finally, even she could no longer take the tension.  "Why is it that you dislike me Pilot Sohryu?" she asked emotionlessly.

            For a moment, Asuka was speechless.  She had never expected Rei to bother asking any questions.  "I…I…" she stammered.

            "Do you feel threatened by my presence?" continued Rei, "Do I unsettle you in some way?  What is the source of this anger you feel towards me?"

            Finally, Asuka couldn't take it anymore.  "I just can't understand you wondergirl!" she yelled, "You act so damn emotionless all the time!  You're always acting like such a stupid doll.  And I remember seeing the way Shinji looked at you!  I just can't stand you," Asuka was nearly sobbing with anger by this time.

            "I am not a doll," said Rei calmly, but not in the same blank, emotionless way that she usually did.

            "YES YOU ARE!" Asuka screamed, "You do whatever the goddamn Commander tells you.  You'll pilot the Eva, you'll lick his boots, you'd even die for him if he wanted you to.  How can you say that you're not a damn doll?"

            "I'm not a doll."  Despite the fact that her face was still devoid of expression a solitary tear mad its way down Rei's cheek.  A collective gasp went off from Shinji and Misato, who had been watching the entire exchange wide eyed.  It was the first sign of clear emotion that Rei had ever shown to so many people at once.  Ishiro watched Rei from his place at the table.  His face was as expressionless at hers.

            "I'm not a doll," Rei said, beginning to sob, "I'm not a doll."  She buried her face in her ands and began to sob quietly.  Asuka stared wordlessly at the girl, her mouth hanging open, the last fires of her anger dieing very suddenly.  Around the table, Shinji and Misato were also agape.  The situation was so unusual that it was almost alien.  None of them knew how to react.  None of them except for Ishiro, that is.

            He silently put an arm around her shoulder and helped her up from the table.  He then led her into the living room where they sat down on the couch.  Rei cried into his shoulder.

            Shinji, Misato, and Asuka came in after them.  Shinji sat down on the other side of Rei and gently rested a hand on her shoulder.  "Rei?"  He got no answer.  Rei continued to cry wordlessly onto Ishiro's shoulder.

            _And so you have discovered the emotion of sorrow, thought Ishiro sadly, __It_ wasn't an easy lesson to learn._  "It's okay," he whispered into her ear, "Cry as much as you want."  He turned his head to look at Asuka.  "As I see it," he said calmly, "You and Rei apparently need to have a discussion."  Asuka could only nod wordlessly._

            Misato was still too stunned to say anything.  She simply stared wide-eyed at Rei.  Rei had finally stopped crying and simply rested her head against Ishiro's shoulder.  Finally, she lifted her head and looked at Ishiro.  "I want to talk with Sohryu."

            Ishiro nodded.  He stood up and beckoned Asuka over.  When she came, he pointed her to a chair on another side of the coffee table.  Ishiro then ushered Shinji and Misato out of the room.  "They need to be alone to work things out," he said calmly.

            He closed the door to the living room, shutting them in the kitchen.  Misato finally managed to stop staring in the direction of the living room and turned to look at Ishiro.  "When did this happen?" she asked.

            "Rei and I had a discussion not too long after the first kaiju incident," replied Ishiro, "And I advised her to try and understand what it was like to become more human.  Rei agreed and has been trying to understand her own humanity ever since.  It's been a difficult struggle for her to shake the sub-human personality she used to have."  _She's undoubtedly going to tell all this to Asuka, so it will probably make its way to Ikari's ears eventually._

            "She must have taken a big step tonight," remarked Shinji.

            "She did," agreed Ishiro.  _Even I was surprised by her little outburst, he thought silently, _And___ I'm not easily surprised._

            "Do you know what Rei really is?" asked Misato.

            Ishiro nodded.  "I know that she is a human/Angel hybrid created from the cells of Yui Ikari, Shinji's mother."  Shinji started to feel a familiar tug at his heart as he recalled this information for himself.

            "What did Commander Ikari intend to use her for?" wondered Misato.

            "I thought you would have found out by now Major," replied Ishiro, "You mean you haven't yet been able to access Ritsuko's data on the MAGI?"

            Misato's jaw dropped for the umpteenth time that evening.  "How did you know about that?" she demanded.

            "I know these things Major," said Ishiro cryptically, "But I cannot continue to discuss these matters here.  This place is too open."

            "What do you mean?" asked Shinji.  Ishiro simply held a finger to his lips.

            Ishiro had been able to sense the multitude of people observing the Katsuragi residence in various manners.  There were perfectly concealed listening devices in every corner of the apartment.  Ishiro didn't detect them, but rather the minds on the other end that listened constantly to the goings on.  He also sensed the men who watched the apartment and the comings and goings of its inhabitants with careful attentiveness.  Rei's emotional outburst would not go unnoticed and would undoubtedly cause Ishiro some problems when it reached Gendo's ears.  However, if Gendo found out that Ishiro knew his plans for Third Impact Ishiro would most likely be dead before he set foot outside this apartment.  Out of a simple sense of self preservation, Ishiro knew he could not reveal what he knew to Shinji and Misato in this place.  Ishiro knew that his own apartment was not under as careful surveillance, despite the fact that Commander Ikari was suspicious of him.  He also knew that Rei's apartment was completely unwatched by any NERV agents.  Ikari's trust in his former tool was so complete he didn't bother having any of his agents watching her.

            _That might change in the near future though, he thought.  This was going to be difficult._

            So they waited while Asuka and Rei had their discussion.  Ishiro knew that Rei would probably give away several key details about her interaction with him that would soon arouse Commander Ikari's suspicions and force the man to take action against Ishiro.

            The three of them sat, Ishiro and Shinji sipping coffee, while Misato drank from yet another can of beer.  Finally, Pen Pen joined them at the table with a deck of acards.  Despite Ishiro's reservations about playing with a penguin, they played a game to pass away the time.  He didn't bother trying to use his psychic abilities to get the edge in the game; it was just a way to pass the time.

            Finally, at about seven past eight, the door to the kitchen opened and Rei and Asuka entered the kitchen.  Asuka's eyebrows went up as she saw the four of them playing cards.  Rei simply stared.  Then she smiled and let out a small giggle.  There was still evidence of tears on her face.  Ishiro stood up and walked over to them.  He looked first at Asuka.  "Do you two understand each other better now?" he asked.  She nodded.  "Are you feeling better?" he asked Rei.  She nodded.  Ishiro smiled.  "Well then, shall we enjoy ourselves for the remainder of the evening?  Pen Pen is apparently an excellent card player."  The two girls nodded and they all sat down at the table.

            They had a wonderful evening together.  At half past nine, Rei and Ishiro decided it was time to leave.  After saying goodbye, Ishiro started walking Rei back to her apartment.  They walked slowly, enjoying the peaceful night.  Ishiro sensed that Rei did not want to tell him about her discussion with Asuka and he was willing to honor her wish for privacy.

            For a long time, they walked in silence.  Finally, Rei asked, "Ishiro?"

            "Yes?" he replied.

            "What is the significance of holding hands?" she asked.

            Ishiro blinked, as if surprised.  "It depends on when it is used.  Sometimes holding hands is a way for two people to enjoy one another's company.  Other times it expresses feelings that two people have for one another in a way that they can't be expressed by words."

            "Do you have such feelings for me?" asked Rei.

            Ishiro didn't answer with words.  Instead he merely smiled and took her hand in his and holding it firmly.  They held hands all the way to Rei's apartment.  Opening the door, Ishiro walked with her into her sparsely furnished home.  Looking around, he noticed that Rei had neglected more than the dust.  She had obviously not cleaned the room in a long time.  "This place could definitely use some cleaning," he remarked.

            Rei nodded.  "It does."  She had never bothered with keeping her apartment clean before.  Now however, she thought that it must be another part of being a human being.

            "I'll help you clean up before I leave," said Ishiro.

            They spent about half an hour cleaning the small apartment.  During that time, they said little.  As they worked, Ishiro carefully scanned the apartment for any signs of listening devices or hidden observers.  There were none.  Gendo Ikari trusted his little puppet explicitly.  After they had finished cleaning, Rei walked with Ishiro to the door.

            "Thank you Ishiro," said Rei, "I enjoyed tonight."

            "I enjoyed tonight too," replied Ishiro.  He averted his eyes shyly.  "Would you like to go out for dinner sometime?"  It was strange, he had never felt this awkward around someone before.

            Rei nodded.  "I would love to."

            Ishiro hesitated for a moment, then wrapped his arms around Rei's waist and pulled her into a warm embrace, which she gladly returned.  It was slightly awkward with the canister attached to Ishiro's right wrist, but comforting nonetheless.  They held one another for a few minutes.  Finally, after they let go, Ishiro gave Rei a quick kiss on the cheek before turning to go.  Rei watched him go, a smile on her face.  After a moment, the smile was replaced by a look of confusion.  _What are these feelings that I am experiencing?_ She wondered.

            Ishiro walked to his home quickly.  He had a lot on his mind.  His head was spinning with the potential implications of the nights events.  In addition he was also pondering the meaning of his feelings for Rei.  He already knew that she shared them.  As he entered his apartment and shut himself in for the night, a pair of voices echoed through the stillness.

            "Greetings friend," they said in unison.

            "Oh no," groaned Ishiro.  On top of everything else that was happening, he didn't need to meet with the two very people whom, according to his mother, were portents of catastrophe.  Still, through his annoyance and anger, he had to admit a sense of respect.  These people had hidden in his home and had escaped detection by his mental probes.  This spoke of great and unnatural power.

            "Okay," he said calmly as he entered the living room, "Where are you two hiding."  From behind a curtain on the windowsill, two tiny girls emerged from hiding.  They were identical twins, no more than about six inches tall, Asian in appearance, clothed in orange dresses.  They bowed in unison.  Ishiro put a finger to his lips to signal for quiet.  Already he could sense the minds on the receiving end of the listening devices planted in his apartment.  He had managed to mentally blank them out when the tiny twins announced their presence.  However, any more activity would alert them to what was happening.

            Digging through his belongings, Ishiro managed to come up with an empty wooden box, more than large enough to hold both of the tiny girls with room to spare.  Silently, he signaled them to get in the box.  He needed to take them some place where it would be safe to converse.  After they were in, Ishiro tucked the box, handling it as gently as he could, under his right arm so that his left hand would be free and took them onto the top of the building.  He sensed that while there were listening devices in his apartment, no one was keeping him under direct observation.  So the roof of the apartment would be the perfect place to hold a discussion in complete privacy.

            He sat down on the roof and opened the box.  "Now tell me," he said as calmly as he could, "What brings the Cosmos to my humble abode."

            Commander Ikari looked up from the report he had just been given.  "I want you to put the 1st Child under observation from now on," he said, "I am also ordering increased surveillance of the 6th Child."

            "Yes sir!" the man from the intelligence division saluted crisply and strode out of Gendo's office.

            "So the 1st Child has been interacting with the 6th," observed Fuyutsuki.

            "Indeed," agreed Ikari, "And it seems that he is deliberately trying to destroy her emotional conditioning."

            "If this continues she will cease to be useful to you," said Fuyutsuki.

            "This cannot continue," said Gendo in a voice that just barely hinted at his agitation, "We have no more spares of Rei.  Dr. Akagi has purged them all."  He folded his hands and rested his chin on them.  "If Pilot Saegusa succeeds in turning Rei against me I will not be able to initiate Third Impact."

            "Do you think that Pilot Saegusa knows your plans for the instrumentality of man?" inquired Fuyutsuki.

            "I have suspected Pilot Saegusa from the beginning," remarked Gendo, "This appears to lend credence to the conclusion that he is planning to disrupt Third Impact.  However, I do not understand _how_ pilot Saegusa could have learned about this.  Even the MAGI do not hold the records for my planned initiation of Third Impact and there have been no reports of the boy even looking into the matter."

            "What do you intend to do about this?"

            "I am not sure yet.  I may have to have a talk with both of them," mused Gendo, "But one thing is certain.  There cannot be anymore interaction between the 1st and 6th Children."

            "That will not be difficult to arrange," agreed Fuyutsuki, "Saegusa is working on Project G and Ayanami has other matters to attend to with school and her synchronization tests."

            "I wish to talk with Pilot Saegusa," said Ikari, "He cannot be allowed to continue this.  Where is he now?"

            "Intelligence reports that he entered his apartment briefly, but left soon after."

            "Find him," ordered Commander Ikari.

            "This is indeed dire news," agreed Ishiro, "I knew this all along of course.  I have been following Asuka's dreams carefully ever since she started having them."

            "Then you must know that there isn't much time left," said Mona, the first of the Cosmos.

            "Yes," agreed Lora, the other, "It has almost passed Mars and will soon arrive at Earth."

            "There is very little that we can do," replied Ishiro, "If we had the Lance, we might have been able to destroy it before it reached Earth.  But it's been imbedded onto the surface of the moon for some time now.  And if this thing is coming as quickly as you claim, there is no chance that we can retrieve the Lance in time."  He looked questioningly at the two girls.  "What about Mothra?  Is there anything she can do?"

            "I'm sorry," said Mona, "But Mothra has only just returned from a task of her own."

            "Yes, mother told me about that whole business with the meteor," remarked Ishiro.

            "Then you should know that this task has drained much of her strength," remarked Lora, "She cannot fight it when it comes."

            "Perhaps the Evangelions will be able to take care of the problem," said Ishiro.

            "Perhaps," agreed the twins in unison.

            "But it is very strong."

            "It has recovered from when it was last here."

            "I have to warn the others," said Ishiro, "But I doubt they'll like, or even believe, what I have to say."

            Ishiro looked up from his discussion.  Agents from Section 2 were on their way with the intention of taking him to a meeting with Gendo Ikari.  "We will have to continue this discussion later," he told the twins, "It appears that the Commander has decided to honor me with his presence.  In the meantime, stay in my apartment and keep quiet.  It would not do for him to find out that I have guests."

            Shinji sat down on the couch next to Asuka.  "What did you two talk about?" he asked.  The television flickered in the background.

            "I don't want to talk about it," she snapped.

            "Okay," said Shinji.

            They sat for a moment, watching the TV.  Asuka leaned against Shinji.  "I'm sorry about blowing up like that," she said softly, "It's just that I don't feel ready to talk about what I was discussing with Rei."

            Shinji's eyes widened.  Asuka had referred to Rei by her name, not as Wondergirl.  It might signify that she saw Rei Ayanami in a different light now.  "It's okay," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders, "You don't have to if you don't want to."   Turning his head he kissed her on the cheek.  Asuka responded by lowering her head onto his shoulder.

            After about ten minutes, Asuka looked up at Shinji.  "I'm tired," she whispered, "Let's go to bed."

            "Asuka…" sputtered Shinji, "Are you…are…are you sure!"

            "Pervert," she growled, cuffing him lightly, "You know what I mean."

            "Oh," said Shinji, slightly relieved.

            They got up and went to their respective rooms to get ready for bed.  After she had finished getting ready, Asuka went into Shinji's room where she got into her futon.  Shinji got into his and they fell asleep holding hands.

            Ishiro steeped into the cavernous confines of Gendo Ikari's office.  He saw the Commander and his ever present assistant waiting behind his desk.  Ishiro strode confidently past the guards, right up to the edge of the Commander's desk.  "You called for me sir," he said.

            "I wish to discuss with you the issue of the 1st Child," said Gendo icily.

            "You mean Rei," replied Ishiro with equal coldness in his voice.

            Commander Ikari ignored his comment and continued.  "You are to cease all contact with the 1st Child.  If I am notified of any you will be expelled from the organization."

            "If you expel me then you will lose a pilot," replied Ishiro smugly, "And I assure you that without me Unit 14 will be useless to you."

            "How can you promise this?" Fuyutsuki wanted to know.

            "I will make it so," replied Ishiro, "I happen to be quite capable of communicating with the spirit that resides within the Eva.  If I asked her to, I think that she would oblige me in refusing to synchronize with any other pilot you might ever find."

            "That is the most ridiculous bluff I have ever heard," stated Fuyutsuki.

            "It is no bluff," said Ishiro evenly, "You do not understand the degree of my relationship with Erika.  We are very good friends and she would hate to see me go."

            "That is beside the point," interjected Gendo, "The point is that you are not to interact with the 1st child anymore."

            "And how are you going to stop me?" wondered Ishiro, folding his arms across his chest.

            "If I have to, I will have you placed under military arrest," replied Ikari, "You will not be permitted to go anywhere without my personal consent.  You will be confined to specific areas of headquarters and the city.  You will always be under guard."

            "Point taken," said Ishiro.  He realized that that would indeed make things difficult, in other arenas as well.

            At that moment, an aide came scrambling in.  "Sir!" he exclaimed, "All communications with the surface have been cut off."

            "Well," said Ishiro, smiling smugly, "It appears that Manda has returned to our humble home."

            "Send runners to collect the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Children.  Have them report for duty immediately."  Gendo stood up.  "Assume battle stations level 1."

            "Yes sir!" replied the aide who scampered off after saluting.

            "Pilot Saegusa," said Gendo, "You will report to the briefing room immediately."

            "Yes sir," said Ishiro, holding back a chuckle.

            Shinji and Asuka were still asleep when the runner arrived.  His frantic knocking and ringing of the doorbell finally managed to stir Shinji from his slumber.  Groggily, he made his way to the door of his room, careful not to tread on Asuka on his way out.  He went to the front door and opened it.

            Shinji was nearly on the receiving end of the next knock coming from the panicked messenger.  "You need to report in!" he blurted out, "Manda's back!"

            Shinji was almost instantly awake.  "We'll be right there," he said quickly, shutting the door.

            Shinji rushed down the hall, shouting the whole way.  "Misato! Misato!"

            Rei was also asleep when a messenger came knocking at her door.  She opened the door wearing only a very large shirt.  The messenger was too frantic however to notice her appearance.  He blurted out his message quickly, to which Rei responded with a bland, "Very well," before shutting the door.  After that, she went to get dressed.

            Ishiro, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei all reported to the briefing room.  They waited as Commander Ikari listened to the latest news from the aide in the front of the room.  Other members of the support staff sat behind the pilots.  When Gendo was ready, a screen came on behind him, showing a map of Tokyo 3 and the surrounding coastline.

            "The monsters known as Manda and Baragon have made landfall on the cliffs north of the city," said the Commander.  Two red dots appeared on the map.  "They were reported to have arrived approximately thirty minutes ago.  They have remained inactive however."

            Three new dots appeared on the screen.  "Units 00 through 02 will be deployed.  They are not to attack the enemy unless they attempt to progress towards the city."

            "What about Unit 14?" asked Shinji.

            "Unit 14 will be placed on standby in case one of the other units should become inoperable," said Gendo.

            Another aide rushed into the room and whispered frantically into Gendo's ear.  Aftter he finished and left, Gendo turned to address the assembly again.  "We have just received news sent by a messenger from the Old Tokyo observation outpost that Godzilla has become active and is now moving towards Tokyo 3.  It is possible that he views the presence of these other monsters as an intrusion on his territory and is going to confront them.  However, if he continues on his present path, he will cut a swath through a considerable portion of the city before he reaches his objective.  Therefore, Unit 14 will be deployed to intercept Godzilla and the others…"

            Ishiro's hand went up.  "What is it?" asked Gendo, successfully keeping agitation from his voice.

            "I would like to suggest that Unit 00 be rerouted to confront Godzilla instead of Unit 14," said Ishiro.

            "Why?"

            "Unit 00 has been equipped with NT-20 artificial diamond armor which will permit it to absorb Godzilla's energy beam and redirect it through the plasma rifle back at him," replied Ishiro, "Unit 00 was technically thus equipped specifically to counter the threat posed by the kaiju."

            Gendo considered this for a moment.  "Very well," he said, "Unit 00 will be deployed to intercept Godzilla while Units 01, 02, and 14 will be deployed to stand against these other two monsters.  The pilots will report to the holding cages in ten minutes time.  You are dismissed."

            It didn't take long to get ready and the pilots reached their holding cages with time to spare.  Without any delays, the pilots boarded their entry plugs and the Evas were launched.  Units 01, 02, and 14 were sent to the edge of the city to stop Baragon and Manda, Unit 00 to fight Godzilla.

            When the three Evas reached the surface, they proceeded towards the coast.  There, the two monsters waited.  For a long time the two sides faced each other.  Each side remained motionless.  It seemed like the classic showdown.

            Ishiro tapped the fingers of his left hand impatiently.  Despite the fact that he now technically had no right hand, he was still able to use the Eva's.  _They must be waiting for something,_ thought Ishiro, _Because__ they certainly aren't waiting for us to make the first move.  Then the answer hit him and he knew what they were waiting for.  It didn't help that five seconds later, the answer appeared on the horizon, swimming for the shore.  Battra was coming to Tokyo 3._

            _So the gang's all here, he thought.  Battra plowed through the surf like an unstoppable black juggernaut of legend.  As it neared land, something unexpected happened.  As Battra swam, red, violet, and orange lightning crackled across his body.  In an instant the entire monster seemed to dissolve into a cloud of energy.  The air above where he had just been flared with red light.  Violent and orange lightning filled the same glowing red space.  The light reached a blinding crescendo.  When it faded, a new creature was flying on wings of darkness towards them._

            Battra had transformed from an enormous armored caterpillar into an equally large armored moth.  Jagged armor enveloped his entire body.  His six legs ended in vicious looking claws.  The flanks of Battra's thorax were decorated with those familiar glowing red protrusions.  His eyes were smaller and more angular, his horns shorter.  The creature's wings were black with red stripes and spots.  As he neared his prey, Battra screeched that familiar bird-like screech.  He stopped and hovered over Manda and Baragon, his two comrades in arms.

            "At last you show your true form," Ishiro muttered under his breath.

            In unison, the three of them surged forward to attack the Evas that barred their way.  Unit 02 stepped to confront Manda while Unit 01 moved to counter Baragon.  Unit 14 leapt high into the air in an attempt to strike at Battra.

            Unit 02 sidestepped as Manda lashed out like a striking snake.  In a smooth motion, it retrieved the progressive knife from its sheath in the shoulder brace and brought it down on top of Manda's head.  The blade, vibrating with ultrasonic waves, merely bounced off the dragon's armored scales.  The attack did succeed in dazing the creature as Asuka had Unit 02 grab him around the neck with both hands and squeeze.  The Chinese dragon threw his coils around the Eva in retaliation, resulting in the same stalemate that had occurred in their previous sortie, a test to see which of them would strangle first.  However, because she had a firm grip with both hands on the kaiju's neck, Asuka was faring much better than she had the last time.   _Maybe this time I won't need any help,_ she thought hopefully.

            Baragon came like at Unit 01 like a molted brown cannon ball, closing much too quickly for Shinji to unfold his AT field.  Reflexively, Shinji threw up a hand to block the monster.  However, Baragon was much more dangerous than a simple projectile.  Instead of impacting fully with the Eva's arm, the creature instead threw out its own clawed limbs and latched onto Unit 01's arm with them.  Using the momentum of his leap, Baragon hauled himself up over the Evangelion's arm and sent a stream of fire straight into Unit 01's face.  Already attached to the Eva's body, Baragon was behind that thin margin of safety that would have been created by the Eva's AT field.  Shinji screamed in pain as he felt the burns on his own face.  Little blisters began to form as the damage sustained by the Eva began to be transferred to its pilot.

            Desperate for some form of escape, Shinji punched at Baragon with his free hand.  The Eva's fist smashed into Baragon's head from the side, stunning the monster well enough to stop his attack from causing anymore damage.  A second punch knocked the kaiju loose and sent him tumbling towards the ground.  However, Shinji did not intend to let him get that far.  He kicked out with the Eva's foot, turning Baragon into an oversized football, punting him away.  The creature landed several hundred meters back, very much stunned.

            Unit 14 shot upwards towards its target, activating its AT swords in the process.  Battra easily countered Ishiro's initial attack by simply flapping higher into the air.  At the same time, focused beams of violet energy surged from its glowing red eyes.  The beams raked against Unit 14's AT field which had been unfolded just in time.  As his Eva began to return to Earth, Ishiro threw one of the AT swords like a javelin.  The sword missed Battra's body and instead created a small tear in his right wing.

            Battra shrieked in rage and dove towards the falling Eva, lightning once again arcing into its eyes to emerge as lethal energy bolts.  Again they exploded against the AT field.  However, the power of this attack was a cut above the energy attacks Battra had in his previous form.  Ishiro was hard pressed to keep the power of his AT field up.  It was already severely weakened by the power going into creating the AT blades.  Another hit like the one he had just weathered and the AT field would be torn apart like tissue paper.

            Unit 14 hit the ground and immediately went into a backward roll, which carried it out of the way just as energy beams raked the spot where it had been less than a second ago.  Coming out of his roll, Ishiro didn't hesitate to send the Eva leaping away in a completely different direction to keep Battra guessing.  He moved not a moment too soon as Battra's beams again struck the ground where Unit 14 had landed.  The monster shrieked with rage.  Seconds later, Battra swooped down upon the Eva.  Ishiro found himself blinded by the battering wings and scrabbling with his razor sharp claws, looking for a seam in Unit 14's armor.

            Ishiro fought back frantically with his remaining sword.  Again, Battra's armor sparked and hissed as the sword made contact but refused to break.  Finally, Ishiro gave up on attacking Battra's body and went after his new Achilles heel, his wings.  After one slash, Battra pulled back while firing another barrage with his energy beams.  The beams exploded against the Eva's AT field, breaking it.  However, the field absorbed enough damage that the attack did little damage to the Eva itself, barely scorching the outermost layer of armor.

            Looking into Battra's eyes, Ishiro was reminded of finely cut ruby crystal.  The energy that surged forth from them was almost like light refracted through a prism.  _That's what I'll call 'em,_ Ishiro thought, _prism beams._

            As the thought crossed his mind, more "prism beams" surged towards him.  Ishiro again dodged.  _This could take awhile,_ he thought wryly.

            Rei felt Unit 00 lurch to a stop as it reached the end of the launch tunnel.  Her orders were to remain stationary until Godzilla arrived.  However, she first had to attach her power cable.  Because of the special umbilical plug needed to utilize the plasma rifle was much different from any of the other umbilical plugs.  Not much later, one of the weapons buildings opened, revealing the length of the plasma cannon.  Many of these buildings were nothing more than oversized storage lockers.  Others were actually launch silos of their own, linked to the larger weapons storage bays down in the geofront.  Rei took the rifle from its holder while at the same time pulling out the modified umbilical plug from the base of the building, pulling out the cable along with it.  Relieved, she plugged the cable into its socket.  She then plugged the attachment cord from the plasma cannon into the plug.

            "Remember," Ritsuko had told her, "You have to wait until the internal batteries are fully charged before you try to switch to the energy pool."  It was obvious though; that Rei would have plenty of time to charge Unit 00's batteries as Godzilla had not yet appeared.  Sighing, she settled down to wait.

            Manda had finally ceased his constricting and his coils went limp around Unit 02.  It was much sooner than expected.  Asuka shouted exultantly and pried the dragon's body off her Eva.  She dumped the unconscious creature on the ground and looked around for another target.  She saw that Ishiro was having a hard time against the much more agile and airborne Battra.  She smirked evilly.  It would be so wonderful to finally be able to rescue Ishiro for once.  Without hesitation, she began to head towards where Unit 14 and Battra were fighting.

            Asuka was caught completely off guard when Manda struck from behind.  The force of the initial contact between his head and Unit 02's armor was enough to knock the gigantic Eva to the ground and stun the pilot within.  Then, Manda wrapped his body around Unit 02, trapping its arms this time.  Asuka managed a curse before Manda began squeezing again.  The dragon had been feigning defeat in order to break the stalemate between himself and Unit 02.  His strategy had worked.  Asuka was helpless as Manda once again began to crush the Eva with his coils.  Asuka tried to curse, but she could not muster the lung power to do so.  She felt her ribs creaking as if it was she and not the crimson behemoth that she piloted that were being crushed.

            Shinji saw Asuka's plight out of the corner of his eye.  Instinctively, he turned to rush to her aid.  However, Baragon who had recovered quite quickly from the punting he had received earlier launched himself at the Eva's back.  The creature latched onto Unit 01's shoulders with his claws and bit down on the back of the Eva's neck.

            In the entry plug, Shinji screamed.  Not only was the agony nearly unbearable, but something else was happening.  The entire plug reverberated with the sound of metal straining to hold its shape under pressure.  Baragon had bitten down on the exact spot where the entry plug was inserted into Unit 01, and now his bite was threatening to crush it and Shinji.  He reached up with Unit 01's hands in a frantic attempt to dislodge Baragon from the Eva's back.  However, without leverage he had no hope of breaking the monster's hold on him.  Desperate for some sort of release, Shinji took the only course of action he could think of.  He threw the Eva onto its back.  Baragon's jaws released their hold on the Eva's neck as the monster roared with pain.  However, when Unit 01 rose up, it still clung to the Eva, refusing to let go.  So Shinji dropped the Eva onto its back again, this time jumping to gain momentum, trying to crush the kaiju attached to him.

            _I have to hurry, thought Shinji frantically, _Asuka needs help!_  Baragon's cry of pain reached his ears again, but the stubborn monster still refused to let go.  And this time, instead of trying to bite back down on Unit 01, he instead unleashed a torrent of fire on the Eva's unprotected back.  Shinji screamed in agony as the armor melted under the incredible heat.  _Now I need help_, he thought frantically._

            Ishiro was beginning to get distracted by the plight of his friends.  So distracted that he was unable to completely dodge Battra's next attack.  The prism beams hit Unit 14's left shoulder, destroying the shoulder brace and the progressive knife.  The blast nearly disconnected the Eva's arm.  The AT field was useless for the time being and Saegusa realized that he was in something of a plight himself.  Battra's power was threatening to overwhelm him.

            _We can't hold off all three of them, Ishiro realized.  Manda had taken the combined efforts of Units 01 and 02 the first time, along with a little help from Unit 14, piloted by Rei.  Unit 00 alone had been enough to repel Baragon, but only the timely use of the plasma cannon had been able to defeat the beast.  And Battra had nearly overwhelmed Unit 14 and still might have had it not been for the timely intervention of Godzilla.  Had Unit 00 been present for this fight, they might have had a better chance at victory, but with Godzilla approaching from the other direction, Unit 00 had had to be deployed elsewhere.  They were quickly being overpowered._

            _Perhaps if I help, suggested Erika from within the Eva._

            _You're already helping, replied Ishiro as he dodged another barrage from Battra._

            _Not like this, said Erika, __My true form still remains orbiting the earth.  The Evangelion has always been but a temporary residence for me.  I can retrieve my other body and return to help you directly._

            _But without a soul, the Eva will be useless! Ishiro replied frantically._

            _I am not alone, said Erika simply.  Then, like a wraith she was gone.  But to where?  Ishiro reasoned that she had gone to collect her other body.  But that left his Eva useless, inanimate, helpless._

            _Now what? he thought, nearly panicked._

            Ishiro's answer came almost immediately.  It started as a nagging sensation in the back of his mind, but there was a growing ferocity now.  He felt a hunger to lash out at the winged beast before him.  Battra had come to hover in front of Unit 14, bemused by its sudden silence.  Ishiro wanted to reach out and tear at the monster hovering before in front of him, rip it to shreds.  There was a beast within him trying to claw its way out.  It was then that Ishiro realized that this sense was not coming from him, but from within the Eva.  It was not soulless.  Furthermore, Ishiro recognized a certain familiar sensation from this soul.  He had sensed it before, but never had his sense of this soul been mingled with pain.

            _It can't be! he thought almost skeptically.  He felt another surge of this bestial presence.  __It is.  The presence grew stronger.  __Oh crap!  Ishiro screamed._

            Rei was getting impatient.  She had been waiting for awhile now and there was still no sign of Godzilla.  Impatience was something new to the normally placid girl.  She normally would have waited for her target to calmly appear, but now she was a different person.  And her patience was running out.  She had better things to do than wait for a slow moving monster.  She should have been on the other side of the city, helping her friends to battle the other three monsters.

            Finally, the black shape that was Godzilla appeared on the horizon.  With a menacing roar, he advanced towards the bone white Eva.  Rei made Unit 00 stride forward to meet the monster.  She had to end this quickly so that she could get back to the others.  Godzilla looked at the Eva curiously, as if he did not understand its purpose.  Rei suddenly understood that her task was more difficult than it appeared.  Her hands were full with the plasma rifle, meaning that she would have to wait until Godzilla used his heat beam.  However, if the creature did not oblige and simply continued to move forward, she would be almost helpless to stop it.

            Godzilla however, was in an accommodating mood today.  Light danced across his spines as he opened hims mouth and unleashed a blast of plasma on Unit 00.  The blast slammed into the Eva's chest and splashed harmlessly across it, almost like water from a hose or a squirt gun.  Rei watched as the meter for her energy pool jumped up.  It was already over halfway full from just one blast.

            Godzilla snarled in confusion and attacked again, sending another stream of atomic energy at the Eva.  Again it splashed harmlessly against Unit 00's armor.  The energy pool was now completely full.  Rei quickly switched over to battery power and sent the energy in the pool into the rifle.  When the rifle was fully charged she switched back to umbilical power but did not attack.  She wanted to have another full charge in the energy pool before she fired back.  Rei wanted at least two solid shots against the kaiju before his mind put two and two together and he connected his own heat beam with the blast from the plasma cannon.

            Godzilla however, was not as agreeable this time.  So instead, the monster lunged forward in an attempt to strike Unit 00 with his claws.  The Eva danced back away from him, Rei attempting to taunt him into another blast with his heat beam.  However, she knew she could only retreat so far before she ran out of room to run.  She arrived at the conclusion that she should just use the cannon already.  Holding the weapon against Unit 00's shoulder, Rei had the Eva drop to one knee.  She knew from experience that the plasma cannon had one heck of a kickback.  When she was ready, she waited for Godzilla to come closer.  The monster obliged a second time and came at Unit 00 in a full charge.  Right when the monster would have come down on her Eva like 66,000 tons of bricks, she pulled the trigger.

            Godzilla was thrown backwards several hundred meters by the initial impact of the blast.  The beam burned away a considerable portion of his hide.  The beast shrieked with rage and agony as he toppled under the onslaught.  Rei held the trigger until the gun ran out of power.  Once he was no longer being kept down by the plasma beam, Godzilla slowly got to his feet.  This time, his injuries were too severe to heal almost instantaneously.  The wounds closed much more slowly, healing faster as they grew smaller.  Godzilla remained completely inactive while he waited for the pain to fade.  When he finished, the creature regarded Unit 00 for a few moments.  Then, with a roar of rage, he attacked with another heat beam against the still kneeling Eva.

            Rei was quite surprised that the monster had not yet figured out how Unit 00 was attacking.  However, she was grateful.  This time, Godzilla kept a steady stream of fire washing over the Eva.  And before she knew it, Rei realized that her charge was now at full.  She switched over to battery power again and transferred the energy to the plasma cannon.  She by the time she switched back, the energy pool was almost half full again.  Godzilla seemed to refuse to give up until he penetrated the Eva's armor.  Rei waited until the meter was just shy of full before she fired the plasma cannon again.  The blast hit Godzilla full in the chest just as the energy pool filled.  The monster was again thrown backwards by the plasma beam, sending his fire streaming up towards the sky.  Watching as he writhed under her attack, Rei smiled confidently.  She was winning.

            As the battles continued on either side of the city, the sky began to darken as it clouded over.  The strange clouds seemed to come out of nowhere, turning the sky gray.  Even as they were still forming, a light rain began to fall.  This turned into a deluge.  However, the storm was unnoticed by the combatants.

            All activity ceased on the battlefield as Unit 14 did something completely unexpected.  It lurched forward at Battra who flapped madly to get out of its way.  But instead of attacking, the black Eva continued to stumble forward, its hands going to its head as if it was being assaulted by intense pain the black cylinder of the AT sword falling to the ground forgotten, its blade extinguished.  The Eva's ebony body seemed to quiver.  It shook with a rumbling sound and metal screamed as it contorted into new shapes.  The long spike of the Eva's chin began to retract and the spike jutting from its head began to shorten.  The hands which Unit 14 had pressed against its head and covered its eyes began to change as well.  The finger's shortened slightly and the tips elongated into what looked like claws.  The Eva hunched over slightly as if in agony.  Finally, the hands dropped from its face.  They revealed a pair of eyes that no longer glowed yellow, but a demonic shade of red.  Unit 14 remained hunched over.  The spike of its chin had disappeared completely and the spike had shortened considerably.  It hands now sported a wicked set of claws each.  Its posture gave the Eva an almost bestial appearance.  It opened its mouth.  This time, instead of its normal gurgling bellow, a full throated roar emerged from Unit 14.

            Battra screeched and flapped backwards away from the transformed Eva.  As it did so, Unit 14 began to trudge forward slowly.  Battra unleashed the full force of his prism beams at the oncoming monster.  They met with now resistance, blasting away chunks of armor, and burning into flesh.  However, the wounds mended almost as quickly as the came and the Eva came on, completely unfazed by the attack.  As it did so, the flesh around its still wounded shoulder began to ripple.  Then, strangely, the flesh that had burned away seemed to just pop back into place.  However, instead of the normal shoulder, a bulge appeared.  This bulge had a large, black hole in the front.  It resembled some sort of cannon.

            Battra watched as golden light began to gather in the recesses of the hole in Unit 14's shoulder.  The light intensified until finally it emerged from the opening in the form of a ball of energy.  The blast rocketed towards Battra, leaving a rapidly dispersing contrail to form behind it.  The sphere smashed into the monster before he was able to react.  Battra was blown backwards and smashed into a hillside, being propelled the entire distance by the sphere.

            Baragon let go of Unit 01 and leapt to Battra's aid.  Even though Unit 14 did not see Baragon coming, the Eva spun around, displaying surprising agility, and dealt a backhanded swat to the airborne Baragon, knocking him backwards.  Baragon turned his flight into a backward flip and landed on his feet and leapt at Unit 14 again, this time leading with a jet of plasma flame.  Unit 14 did not make any attempt to evade the attack and instead waded straight into the fire.  It burned and seared armor and flesh, but wounds closed and armor regenerated just as fast as Baragon inflicted the damage.  Unit 14 lowered its head and collided with Baragon, using its greater mass to knock the kaiju backwards.  Even as Baragon tumbled through the air, Unit 14 continued its charge, reaching out with a clawed hand to swipe at the monster.  The attack connected and Baragon hit the ground trailing blood.

            Manda released his hold on Unit 02 and began to slither slowly towards the two enemies.  As he did so, his body color shifted to blend in with the terrain.  Manda came slowly up behind Unit 14, preparing to take the Eva in a constricting hold and give Battra and Baragon an opening to attack.

            Both Shinji and Asuka watched from their respective Evas.  Both didn't know what to make of the situation.  However, for some reason Shinji guessed that Ishiro was no longer in control of Unit 14.  The Eva seemed to have gone berserk.  Asuka was the first one to notice the weather.

            "Where did this storm come from?" she wondered.

            The rain that had been falling stopped as abruptly as it had started.  The clouds remained hovering ominously over the battlefield.   Then, something new began to emerge from them.  At first all that could be seen in the swirling vapors were brief flashes of golden light.  Then, slowly, a shower of golden specks descended from the heavens.  They resembled fireflies.  But as they continued to fall, their true nature became more apparent.

            "It's pollen," gasped Shinji.

            Even Unit 14, Battra, Baragon, and Manda had stopped to watch the phenomenon.  The cloud of pollen fell and disappeared into the ground.  For a moment, nothing more happened.  The kaiju and Evas were about to resume their battle when suddenly, the ground was split asunder.  Dark green vines shot up out of the cracks that appeared in the crumbling earth.  Some of these vines ended in pods that opened and closed like mouths, lined with thorns that gave them the look of tooth lined maws.  As the pods opened, they emitted shrill trills.  As more vines emerged, the ground began to disintegrate further, yielding to an even larger mass.

            A huge, dark green mass erupted from the earth.  It seemed to be composed from an enormous mass of leaves and branches.  It rose up on gigantic root-like legs.  At its center was an orange glowing mass of tissues that expanded and contracted like a human heart.  Its most remarkable feature however, was the massive thorn lined maw that resembled the snout of some sort of colossal crocodile.  A pair of beady eyes sparkled from the base of the snout.  The monster turned to face the other three kaiju.  As its jaws opened, the creature unleashed a low gurgling bellow.  It was the same sound Unit 14 used to make.

            Battra had finally extricated himself from the hillside.  Upon seeing this new arrival, the black, armored mother shrieked and dove towards it.  The plant monster saw Battra coming but didn't respond.  Then, at the last moment before Battra would have collided with it, the creature lashed out with dozens of whip-like vines, battering Battra's carapace and knocking him off course.  Even as the creature swatted Battra aside, it surged forward on its root-like legs towards Manda, who had dropped his concealment.  Manda reared up and lunged towards the oncoming monster.

            Even as Manda lashed out at it like a striking snake, vines wrapped around his serpentine form.  Those that ended with thorn lined pods, bit down on his armor, the thorns penetrating it with ease.  Manda thrashed with agony, hissing madly, but the plant monster was not done yet.  Even as the dragon convulsed, it began to drag him towards its massive jaws.  As the jaws opened, some sort of sap began to trip from the thorns that lined them, almost like saliva.

            Manda was unable to resist as he was dragged into their reach.  When the maw closed upon him, the immense power behind those thorns drove them into his body with all the ease of someone pushing a thumb tack through paper.  Manda's hissing increased in intensity as the monster continued to apply pressure.  Finally, the jaws closed entirely and the two halves of what had once been Manda, dropped to the ground, still writhing as the last of his life ebbed away.  Not bothering any further with the now deceased dragon, the monster continued forward, its roots trampling the carcass beneath it.

            Baragon launched himself at the newcomer.  However, as the vines reached out to embrace him, he opened his mouth and unleashed a blast of heat upon them.  The vines fell to the ground, many of them burned to ashes.  Pods screamed in pain and writhed as they caught fire.  Some were detached and left nothing but smoldering stumps behind.  Again the plant monster tried to wrap its vines around Baragon.  Again Baragon's flames drove the vines back.  The creature gave up and charged forward on its roots in an attempt to crush Baragon.  Baragon jumped backwards and out of the way with ease.

            The monster opened its jaws again and bellowed.  Then it closed them and opened them a second time.  However, instead of roaring, the monster unleashed a stream of dark green liquid that sparked and glowed.  As the liquid made contact with Baragon's hide, it began to smoke and burn.  It was an acidic sap.  Baragon howled in agony as the sap burned its way into his skin.  He was so caught up in his pain, that he did not notice the vines wrapping around his writhing form.  Tooth-lined pods bit down on him in several different locations.  As soon as they latched on, they began to pull in different directions.  As Baragon realized what the thing was doing to him, he began to thrash even harder, but was not in a position to bring his head around and burn the vines away from his body.

            Some of the vines pulled away with chunks of flesh.  As soon as they were gone, more took their place, latching on to where their predecessors had been.  Baragon could only yowl in pain as he was ripped limb from limp.

            Shinji watched spectacle from Unit 01, feeling a little sick as he watched it.  He had seen a lot of blood in his time, but had never seen anything so brutal before.  In Unit 02, Asuka was already putting her hand over her mouth in an effort to keep from throwing up as blood flew everywhere.  Unit 14 simply stood, watching intensely as the monster tore what was left of Baragon to shreds.

            Godzilla roared and got to his feet again, only to be hit by yet another blast from the plasma cannon.  Godzilla shrieked as he hit the ground.  This time, when Rei ran out of energy, Godzilla did not get up immediately.  The task of regenerating all the damage he had received in addition to the number of heat beam attacks he had made had severely drained Godzilla's radioactive reserves.  The monster slowly stood upright and regarded the Eva wearily.  Then, with a frustrated but tired roar, Godzilla turned and began to stagger away from Unit 00.

            Rei relaxed back into her seat and sighed in relief.  She was glad that the fight was over, even though it had been one sided.  She watched and felt the satisfaction of a job well done settling on her consciousness.  She already couldn't wait to tell Ishiro how successful his weapon had been.

            "We have communications back," said Shinji who had just managed to tear his eyes away from the battle.  He should have realized that the instant Manda had been killed, but he had been understandably distracted.

            "What is that thing?" wondered Asuka.

            "Biolante," Ishiro's voice croaked.  His voice was raw and sounded like he had been screaming for quite a while.

            "What happened to you Ishiro?" asked Shinji.

            "That monster over there is Erika," explained Ishiro, knowing that it didn't quite make sense to the others, "Until now, Erika was the soul that resided in Unit 14, but she had originally come from the monster Biolante.  To help us in our fight against these three kaiju, she returned to her true form and came down to help us.

            "But Unit 14 wouldn't have been able to fight unless it had another soul," said Asuka, "So how can it still be active?"

            "Let's just say that Unit 14 has more than one soul," explained Ishiro, "But I'd rather wait until we're done here to explain.  My hands are a bit full right now.  I hope Erika comes back soon."

            As if in response, Biolante let out another gurgling bellow.  Even as she did so, Battra rose off the ground with a scream.  However, instead of attacking the monster began to flap unsteadily away from the battlefield, leaving the Evas and their new ally behind.  Biolante roared in triumph.  Even as she did so, her body dissolved into a cloud of pollen, just as she had arrived.  The pollen rose upwards into the clouds disappeared.  When she was gone, the sky cleared and the sun shone brightly upon the Evas and their weary pilots.

            Over the comm, Shinji heard Ishiro sigh in relief a moment later as Erika's soul returned to the Eva.  Shinji couldn't help but sigh himself.  It was time to go home.

            It was drawing steadily nearer.  As it came closer to Earth, thoughts of revenge filled its mind.  However, buried beneath all those thoughts of hatred and vengeance was an instinctive tug, the same pull that had drawn the thing to this tiny blue and green planet in the first place.  As it approached, it became more and more aware of the presence of its other, its twin.  For even though its primary objective now as revenge, it was possessed by another goal, the one that it had originally come to Earth to fulfill.  When its wish was realized, two would become one and the universe itself would quake at the monster's power.  This puny planet that had dared to defy it would soon learn the true wrath of King of Terror.

Author's notes:  I'm so sorry that it took me so long to get this posted.  I know I said I would have it up in a week, but I had quite a few distractions, what with school starting up again and all.  As I've said before, this is the last chapter I'll be posting for a while.  I'm taking a short break from this story to work on some others that I've been working on.  Don't worry; I'm not going to abandon it.  Once again, my humblest apologies for taking so long to update.  Now onto other business.

I know that Rei is OOC, but that's the point of that entire facet of the story.  Ishiro is working his magic (or so to speak) to help Rei to understand what it is to be a true human, which he is doing for multiple reasons.

And now for some non-story related stuff.  On Sunday, I became one of the happiest G-fans on the face of this Planet as Godzilla vs. Megaguirusand Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah Premiered on the Sci-fi Channel, along with reruns of the three Rebirth of Mothra movies.  I heard a lot about both movies and they were pretty good.  The story was a little shaky in Godzilla vs. Magaguirus, but that's okay.  In GMK King Ghidorah is a good guy.  WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO!  It was an interesting role reversal to say the least.  But one thing about Godzilla vs. Megaguirus really threw me off.  What is Godzilla doing with purple spines?  Did you here me?  PURPLE!  Sorry, I had to get that out of my system.  Anyway, that really made my Labor Day weekend.

Other than that, I've got nothing else to talk about so you readers are now free to go on your merry way.  I'm not going to be updating for a while, but I'll be back.


	12. Revalations of the 19th

Disclaimer: During my break, I managed to procure the rights to Evangelion _and _Godzilla.  (Ownership will become official on April 1st, 2004).

Author's Note: Terribly sorry for the delay.  Getting this chapter done along with everything else I was doing took longer than expected.  It's most likely going to be a long time before the next chapter is out too.  Until recently, I've been working on three stories (this one included) simultaneously.  Fortunately, finishing my zoids fic has knocked that number down to two.  I am also working on a Rurouni Kenshin fic that, as I said, will be premiering on Anime Admirers.  Until the next time, I hope you like the latest chapter to Evangelion: G.

**Chapter 12:** Revelations of the 19th

            Ritsuko looked up from the schematics for Unit 14 and observed the Eva itself.  Currently, the massive creature was immersed in cryostasis fluid.  She had been trying to catalogue the myriad of changes that Unit 14 had undergone.  Its chin spike had vanished and the horn on top of its head was much shorter now.  The Eva's spine was now slightly contorted, which had made it difficult to fit the locks of the holding cage into place.  However, through an overnight feat of engineering, they had managed to do so.  There were other changes also.  Unit 14's hands now ended in a wicked set of claws each.  The most notable change was the massive protrusion on its back that Ritsuko had learned served as a powerful cannon.

            Ishiro hadn't been much help.  He had been rubbing his temples with his free hand ever since he extracted himself from the entry plug.  He had barely been able to explain to them what exactly had happened as far as he could tell.  Ritsuko frowned as she thought back to the debriefing.

            "A second soul?" said Gendo, raising an eyebrow, "Are you certain, Pilot Saegusa?"

            "No, in fact I've been lying the whole time" grumbled Ishiro sarcastically, massaging his head.

            "Just because you complain of a headache does not mean that you can be curt with me Pilot Saegusa," said Gendo, his tone more than a bit irritated.

            "Actually," growled Ishiro, "Since you can't complain of a headache, I get to be curt with you if I so desire."

            "What is this second soul?" asked Fuyutsuki, seeking both to disarm the confrontation between Ishiro and Ikari as well as find out more information.

            "Strangely enough, the second soul belongs to the original Godzilla," said Ishiro.

            "But how?" asked Ritsuko.

            "From what I've been able to learn from the files," said Ishiro, "An unintentional effect of the Evas' creation is their ability to hold the souls of living things.  You could say they are soul depositories.  All the soul needs is some sort of tangible connection to the Eva.  In this case, the G-Cells in Unit 14 are what drew Godzilla's soul into the Eva."

            "I thought those cells came from Biolante," commented Ritsuko.

            "They did," answered Ishiro, "But you have to remember, Biolante was the result of a splicing experiment that involved G-Cells; ones from the original Godzilla.  This explains why Unit 14 has Godzilla's soul as well as Erika's."

            "What happened to the Eva when Godzilla's soul took over," Asuka wanted to know.

            "I don't exactly know," replied Ishiro, "But my best guess is that when Godzilla's soul moved into the void left by Erika's departure, the Godzilla genes in the Biolante cells that were spliced with Unit 14's began to assert themselves and almost achieved a state of dominance.  I believe that the process would have continued had Erika not returned to the Eva."

            "So every time Erika leaves to bring Biolante down to Earth, Godzilla's hold over the Eva becomes stronger," observed Shinji.

            "That's right," agreed Ishiro.

            "So we risk Godzilla taking over every time Erika leaves Unit 14," added Misato.  Ishiro nodded.

            "Dr. Akagi," said Gendo, "I want you to catalogue the changes that have occurred in Unit 14.  I expect a complete report on my desk by this time tomorrow."

            "I believe that I will require the assistance of Pilot Saegusa in order to do so," said Ritsuko.

            "My apologies Dr. Akagi," said Ishiro, "But right now my brain is host to a full orchestra percussion section playing in Fortissimo.  I will have to decline for the night and will join you in the morning."

            Ishiro's predictions about the G-Cells asserting their dominance had proved to be accurate.  There was indeed a newly formed imbalance in the three-way ratio between the rose, human and Godzilla genes making up the Biolante cell samples, an imbalance that favored Godzilla's genes.

            The task would have gone along much quicker had Ishiro been there.  Having piloted the Eva himself while also getting to know the Eva as well as Ritsuko did, he would have known exactly where to look for what changes, which would have saved them a considerable amount of time.  However, without Ishiro's knowledge, Ritsuko and her meager staff were forced to go over Unit 14 in its titanic entirety with a fine-tooth comb, picking out every little thing that had changed since they had last examined it.  As a result, Ritsuko was very tired, and agitated.

            _I'll get you for that Ishiro, Ritsuko thought irritably._

            Unfortunately for him, Ishiro's return to his sparsely furnished apartment only furnished more headaches as the Cosmos greeted him.  Ishiro was reminded of the even greater problems looming in the future, which only brought on even worse headaches.  _God,_ he thought to himself as he herded the two tiny girls into a box to take outside, _why I couldn't I have been a normal psychic and read minds or predict futures?  We ESP guys get stuck with all the hard work._

            Once he was out on the roof, he resumed the conversation with the Cosmos that he had started before agents from Section 2 had come to take him to a meeting with Gendo Ikari.  Already, his nearly overtaxed senses had informed him that this area was unsupervised by NERV, which gave him all that he needed in order to conduct his conversation with complete secrecy.

            "I understand the direness of this situation," said Ishiro curtly before the Cosmos could start, "But I have had a busy night and would like to get some sleep before the good doctor requests my presence in the lab again.  So you must understand when I say that I would like to keep this short."

            "You have overextended yourself," said Mona calmly, "We only have a few more points to cover.  Then you can get your much-needed rest.  There is still time yet and Mothra is slowly gaining strength.  She has told us that she may be able to help, but will not be able to enter the fight herself."

            "This is a matter of great importance," Lora reiterated, "You and your allies must be free to focus entirely on the matter that is to come.  This means that all other conflicts must be resolved."

            "What?" growled Ishiro, "Do you think that if I just asked politely Battra will kindly make an appointment to come back and attack _after_ we have dealt with our alien invader.  I don't think so."

            "Battra is one whom we know well," said Mona, "He is not unreasonable when approached in the right way.  Furthermore, this new monster presents a threat to Earth herself, which may goad Battra in coming to your aid even."

            Ishiro sighed and rested his forehead in his left hand, his right weighed down by the cylinder of LCL.  _That reminds me, he thought, _I should be able to remove it tomorrow._  With that thought out of the way, he turned to the Cosmos.  "What do you suggest I do to make peace with Battra?"_

            "Give him that which he seeks," said Lora as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

            "I can't do that!" exclaimed Ishiro, "If Battra delivers Lilith to his creator; we humans might as well kiss our asses good by."

            "You are mistaken if you believe that Battra seeks to destroy humanity by initiating Third Impact, as you humans call it, through Lilith," said Mona simply.

            "What does Battra want with Lilith then?" asked Ishiro.

            "Simply to return her to their mutual mother," answered Lora.

            Ishiro turned this thought over in his mind.  If that was the truth, and Ishiro knew better than to think that the Cosmos would ever lie to him, then he could remedy all their Battra problems with ease.  In truth, only one obstacle remained; Gendo Ikari.  The man's dedication to initiating his own form of Third Impact would prove a significant stumbling block.  He was likely to utilize Shinji, Asuka and Rei in order to stop Ishiro.

            "What do I do then?" asked Ishiro, "To deal with the problem that is posed by Gendo Ikari?"

            "Acknowledge the truth about who you are," said Mona, "And you will find that neither he nor those he uses as his tools will hinder you."

            "You already know the truth of you and your legacy," said Lora, "Now is the time to put it to use."

            "But now you must rest," said Mona, "You need to regain your energies for the struggle that is to come."

            "I thank both of you," said Ishiro, giving the Cosmos a small bow, "I will take into consideration what you have said."

            He cautiously ushered the twin ferries into the box and carried them down into his apartment.  After depositing them carefully on a convenient table, Ishiro fell face down onto his bed and slipped away into a world of dreams.

            Once again, the anonymous men that formed the core of SEELE had gathered.  There they debated the recent turn of events.

            "The appearance of these three new kaiju is very disturbing," said one.

            "What is even more disturbing is the truth of their goal."

            "In addition to this, Pilot Saegusa has reinforced the fact that Unit 14 is dangerous to us all."

            "With the power to summon the creature called Biolante at will, he will become even more dangerous."

            Keel interrupted them.  "It also appears that we may not be able to initiate Third Impact anymore."

            A chorus of questions and denials arose at the pronouncement.  After all, Third Impact was what these men had strived for their entire lives.  They had spent untold amounts of resources in order to realize this, their greatest dream.  To hear that it was threatened so simply was chilling to be sure.

            "I do not mean what you think," said Keel, "A meteor is on a collision course with Earth.  It is simply a matter of nomenclature."

            "Very amusing Keel," said one dryly.

            "Is that all you have to tell us?" asked another.

            "Not really," replied Keel, "But meteor shows possible signs of intelligent control."

            "What do you mean?"

            Keel smiled grimly, "The meteor was not originally heading for Earth, but ever since it emerged from the asteroid belt, it has corrected its course on several occasions."

            "It seems we have been wise to keep at least one eye on the stars," observed one of the other members, "Or else this new twist might not have become apparent to us."

            "So what is our course then?"

            Keel's smile widened.  "What it has always been.  We wait, and learn to use what happens to our profit."

            "What are you doing up Asuka?" asked Shinji as he joined the girl on the balcony.

            "I just couldn't sleep," replied Asuka sullenly.

            "The nightmares?"

            The redhead shook her head sadly.  "They haven't gone away.  And they keep getting worse.  I have this feeling like something really bad is going to happen soon."

            "Try to get some rest," said Shinji, resting his hand on her shoulder, "I wouldn't be able to stand it if you went back to the way you were.  I can't stand seeing you so distressed."

            "I'll try," said Asuka.

            Shinji took her hand and led her back to the room they shared.  Asuka settled back down on her futon and tried to go back to sleep.  Shinji reached over from where he lay and took her hand in his.

            "Sleep," he whispered to her, "I'm right here."

            Asuka closed her eyes.  However, when she drifted off, the nightmares were there again, even more terrible before.  And even though she felt Shinji's presence beside her, it wasn't enough to restrain her fear.

            The base was silent in the early morning hours.  Ishiro opened the door to his lab.  The time had come to find out whether or not his hard work had paid off.  Carefully, he began to undo the bolts that held together the canister around the end of his right arm.  After draining the LCL, Ishiro realized that he could feel his fingers.  He flexed them carefully, still unable to see them while the canister was in place.  As far as he could tell, they were slightly stiff from being newly formed, but time would remedy that.  Now it was time for a visual inspection.

            The last bolt came free and the canister fell apart to reveal a perfect looking human hand.  _So far, so good, he thought.  But appearances can be deceiving.  In order to know whether or not Ishiro's new hand was safe, he would need to take skin samples, blood samples, bone samples, muscle samples, and samples of just about everything else to ensure that it was not flawed in some way._

            About halfway through the tests, the door behind him opened and Ritsuko came barging in.  "Ah Dr. Akagi," he said, "What can I do for you?"  He was too distracted to read her mind at the moment.

            "So this is where you've been hiding," growled Ritsuko, "Because of you I had to completely look over the Eva and catalogue its mutations ALL BY MYSELF!"

            Ishiro turned around and grinned rather sheepishly.  "I'm sorry about that Dr. Akagi.  It's just that I remembered that my calculations predicted that my hand would be fully formed by today.  So I decided to remove the LCL canister and conduct the tests necessary to find out whether the treatment worked."

            "And…" growled Ritsuko, raising an eyebrow.

            "Well, so far, so good," was all that Ishiro could say, "I'm about halfway done."

            "And I suppose that you would like me to leave you to your work," said Ritsuko in resignation.

            "Correct."  Ishiro had already turned back to his tests and had hardly heard her last statement.

            Ritsuko groaned in frustration and stalked out of the room.  The door hissed shut behind her and Ishiro returned his full attention to his studies.

            It had been a long, night, so Shinji and Asuka had both slept in late…very late.  It was noon by the time either of them woke up.  Shinji was glad to see that Asuka had slept through the remainder of their late night.  But still, that troubled expression remained on her face.

            "Was it bad?" he asked.  Asuka nodded silently at his answer.

            After checking his clock Shinji announced that he was going to prepare lunch/very late breakfast.  As he left to do so, Asuka went and took a shower.  Misato was already out and at work.  Naturally, there would be a literal mountain of paperwork for her to fill out with regard to the attack of the three kaiju that had attacked the previous night.

            It was Sunday, which meant there was no school.  The two children had the day to themselves.  Shinji called Touji and asked if he wanted to come over while Asuka did the same for Hikari.  The two came over rather quickly.

            They spent the rest of the day talking, playing video games, watching TV and doing other things that most normal teenagers would do.  Both Shinji and Asuka were quite glad for the change of atmosphere.  Both of them noticed how much closer Touji and Hikari had apparently become.  After some teasing and wheedling, they found out that the two had actually started dating.

            "That's good to hear," remarked Shinji.  He was glad for both of them.

            "I still don't know what you see in that stooge," Asuka told Hikari playfully.

            "Well," replied Hikari, blushing slightly, "He may be a big lunkhead, but he's the nicest guy I ever met."

            "And the only one who could ever survive going out with the classroom rep," joked Touji.

            "You watch your manners Touji Suzahara," growled Hikari, shaking a warning fist at him.  A second later, all four of them burst into laughter.

            Night had at last fallen.  Ritsuko had returned to her home for some rest, something she rarely ever got enough of.  Most of the staff, save the night shift, had left for the evening.  Only a few minor techs and security remained.

            Getting past security was not a task of great difficulty for Ishiro.  He walked down the darkened halls, his infrared vision giving him a clear view, despite the lack of light.  As he walked, his mind reached out, finding those men on the other side of the cameras that watched every inch of every hallway.  With a simple flip of a mental switch, Ishiro sent them into a state of temporary unconsciousness.  They would not wake up until the entire task was over and done with.

            As for the occasional guard who patrolled the corridors, Ishiro simply froze the man's mind long enough for the psychic to get past and out of sight, before letting the man resume his rounds as if nothing had happened.  From those same guards, Ishiro mentally downloaded a map of the entire Geofront's security system, enabling him to avoid laser triggered, pressure plate, and motion sensor alarms as well as human surveillance.  He did the same thing to the men who guarded the doors to the holding cages.  Ishiro reached the holding cage for Unit 14 without tripping a single alarm.

            The young man strode out onto the walkway that was created from the Eva's joined restraints.  Reaching the center of the walkway, he turned to peer directly into the angular eyes of the black Eva.  He had been planning this ever since he had finished his tests much earlier.  Ishiro knew better than to try to hijack an entry plug.  That would require that he control someone's mind and use them to operate the controls that would inject the entry plug.  That method would create a whole plethora of unnecessary risks.  He wasn't sure he could control a foreign body and keep track of surveillance systems and patrol patterns and alarm locations and wiping the minds of any security he came across.  There was also the risk that his chosen pawn would break free from his mental control.  Humans were such weak-minded imbeciles, but with sufficient distraction one could defeat even Ishiro's mental strength.

            Finally, even if Ishiro managed to force someone to inject his entry plug into Unit 14, Ishiro would have to release control in order to synch with Erika, which would enable the person to sound an alarm.  Once that was done, Ishiro could easily be subdued by compressing the LCL in the entry plug, the tactic that had once been used to stop Shinji after his breakdown after fighting the 13th Angel.

            Fortunately for Ishiro, he had other options.  This would be less effective, but in the long run, it would be safer.  And so, the young psychic put his plan into motion.

            Ishiro reached out with his mind towards Unit 14.  _Erika._

            _I am here.  Erika's voice was faint; difficult to hear with his mind, but it was contact nonetheless._

            _It is time to do what we should have done a long time ago, said Ishiro._

            _I will do as you ask my friend, came the reply._

            _Then let us go and end this._

            Metal groaned and screeched as the Eva strained against the restraints.  Ishiro carefully climbed onto Unit 14's shoulder, and from there, climbed to the top of the Eva's head, where he was able to get a firm grip on the horn that projected from Unit 14's grim visage.  Once he was secure, Ishiro began to meld his mind and soul with Erika's as best he could from the outside.

            With a final shriek, the restraints gave way.  Unit 14 lashed out with both fists, ripping apart the wall in front of them.  The Eva plunged through the newly created opening.  Already, alarms had begun to wail, signifying that Unit 14's escape had not gone unnoticed.  Unit 14 continued to plunge through barrier after barrier, with Ishiro clinging on for dear life, until it finally came to its primary objective, the shaft leading down into terminal dogma.  Without hesitation, the Eva stepped over the edge and descended down the shaft.  With a creative application of the Eva's AT field, Ishiro slowed the titan's descent.

            Gendo Ikari rushed into the command center with Fuyutsuki trailing behind.  "Report," he ordered one of the unfortunate officers still on duty.

            "We're not exactly sure sir," replied the frightened man, "Unit 14 has broken from its restraints and is currently descending into Terminal dogma."

            "Contact Ishiro, tell him to stop this immediately."

            "We can't contact him sir," replied the tech, "The entry plug isn't even inserted.  As far as we can tell, the Eva is acting on its own.

            "Lock down the facility," Ikari snapped, "Do not let that Eva reach terminal dogma.  Call the pilots and get them here immediately!"

            Shinji awoke to the sound of a phone ringing.  A few seconds later, the ringing stopped as Misato picked up the phone.

            "Hello," she said wearily into the receiver.  "What!?  Alright, I'll bring the kids down right away."

            Misato burst into their room.  "Shinji, Asuka, wake up!" she exclaimed.

            "What is it?" asked Asuka groggily.

            "Unit 14 has gone rogue and is heading for Terminal Dogma," replied Misato hastily as she pulled the two children to their feet and pulled them out the door.

            "Can't I at least get dressed?" demanded Asuka.

            "No time, you two are ordered to report to your Evas immediately!"  Without another word, Misato pulled the two unfortunate children out of the apartment, into the elevator and into the car.  The whole time, Shinji could only think one thing.  _Not again._

            Barely a minute after it had begun its descent, Unit 14 encountered its first major obstacle, a series of titanium steel alloy shutters that stood between it and Terminal Dogma.  Since Karou had made his attempt at reaching Lilith, the barrier had been strengthened considerably to make it much more difficult to get through.  Unit 14 touched down on the first of the shutters.

            "That won't stop us," growled Ishiro.  Unit 14 lifted its foot and brought it down hard on the first set of shutters.  Metal groaned and a massive indentation appeared in the door.  Unit 14 brought its foot down again.  This time, its foot punched through the metal, revealing the next set of shutters down below.  Crouching down, Unit 14 wrapped its fingers around the edges of the hole and began to pull.  The Eva quickly ripped the first set of shutters apart.

            Ishiro hissed impatiently.  "This is taking too long."

            Unit 14 crouched, froglike on the edge of the hole it had created.  Carefully, it lowered its shoulders until it was able to point the massive cannon on its left shoulder straight at the next barrier.  Ishiro clung to his perch with all his strength as Unit 14 tilted its head along with the rest of its body.  Within the barrel of the weapon, swirling masses of energy began to collect.  A sphere of energy shot out from the cannon and slammed into the shutters below it.  The blast ripped apart the next set of shutters without even slowing down.  The shot was angled slightly, so the blast only managed to penetrate the next two sets of shutters before it crashed into the wall of the shaft, a huge fireball blossoming outward from where it had connected.

            Unit 14 dropped down and through the ruins of the first line of defense.  It landed on the fourth set of shutters.  Once again, the Eva ripped apart the steel barrier with its hands.  This time, it simply dropped down to the next set and repeated the process.

            _Blast them again, Ishiro instructed._

            _I cannot, answered Erika, _It will take some time before I can charge up energy for another shot.__

            _Oh well, thought Ishiro, __Save it, we're going to be needing it for our own defense soon._

            _I can't believe this, thought Shinji, __It's happening all over again._

            Shinji waited for the entry plug to fill up with LCL.  Unit 01 was being rushed through the preliminary stages of launch.  In the holding cages on either side, Unit 02 and Unit 00 were going through an identical process.

            All Shinji could think about however, was Karou.  In his mind's eye, Shinji saw the face of the boy, the Angel in disguise, as Unit 01 slowly squeezed the life out of him.  Shinji couldn't stand to go through this again.  He wouldn't be forced to kill another friend.

            "Shinji…Earth to Shinji," Ritsuko's voice finally reached Shinji's ears, "Focus will you.  You can't synchronize properly if you're distracted."

            In the command center Misato muttered under her breath.  "You can't blame him."

            In Unit 02, Asuka looked over towards Unit 01's holding cage.  "What's happening Shinji?" she whispered.

            In Unit 00, Rei was silent as she wrestled with feelings of her own.  Never before had the 1st child experienced the feeling of betrayal before.  She could not help but be angry at Ishiro for deceiving her like this.

            _He said he was my friend._

            "Deploy the Evas," ordered Ritsuko. Units 00 and 02 moved to respond to the command.  However, Unit 01 remained motionless.  "Shinji, move," snapped Ritsuko.

            "I-I can't," stuttered Shinji, "I can't do this."

            "You can and you will," said Commander Ikari simply.

            "I won't kill another friend."

            "Shinji," said Misato, "This is something that has to be done.  If you don't act now, everything, everyone you know and care about will be destroyed."

            "I just can't!" yelled Shinji.

            "Then I'll do it," snarled Asuka.  Unit 02 jumped into the shaft leading downwards.  Unit 00 wasted no time in following suit.

            Behind them, Unit 01 hesitated upon the brink of the abyss.  Finally, it too joined them in pursuit of Ishiro and Unit 14.

            Ritsuko studied the data coming from Unit 14.  "Ishiro's synch ratio is much lower than usual."

            "It must be because he's operating the Eva from outside," suggested Maya.  Ritsuko nodded in agreement.

            Ishiro looked up the way they had come from.  "We've got company."

            Unit 14 had finally broken through the last of the security shutters and was now dropping, unimpeded down the shaft towards its final destination.  Looking up, he spied the three Evas now descending towards his position.  "The time of reckoning is now at hand," he remarked wryly.

            _What shall we do? asked Erika._

            "Nothing, for now," replied Ishiro out loud "I want to see if they are truly committed to confronting me."

            _And if they attack?___

_            Then we shall not hold back.  This is far too important to risk the completion of our task over something as minor as friendship._

_            You regard friendship as minor?_

_            It is in comparison to the greater issue here.  Whether they are my friends or not will not matter if it means they will get in the way of what it takes to save the human race._

_            You are beginning to sound like the elder Ikari._

            Ishiro scowled and did not reply.  _I will never be like that bastard, he thought to himself.  He returned his thoughts to the matter at hand.  Unit 02 was first and closing quickly._

            "Ishiro," Asuka's voice, magnified by the Eva, boomed around him, "Surrender now.

            "I am sorry," replied Ishiro as calmly as he could, tightening his grip on Unit 14's horn, "But I cannot do that.  This is something that I must do.

            "How could you betray us like this you asshole!" Asuka nearly screamed.

            "How do you know that this is a betrayal?" Ishiro asked, trying to keep his tone even, "For all you know, I could be trying to save us all, which I am."

            "What exactly are you trying to do?" asked Asuka, she was beginning to calm.

            "I intend to free the Angel that is hidden beneath us.  I am sending Lilith home."

            "You cannot do that," Unit 00 had now caught up to them.  Like Asuka, Rei hesitated to attack.

            "I can and I must," replied Ishiro, "There is more at stake here than you realize.  In order to be fully prepared for what is to come, Lilith will be a peace offering of sorts, to appease Battra and his creators."

            "What on Earth are you talking about?" Unit 01 had finally joined them.

            "What on Earth are you talking about?"  Shinji looked on, baffled, as Ishiro calmly began to explain to them what he meant.

            "That is exactly what I am talking about, Earth," replied Ishiro.  Seeing that they didn't understand, he opened his mouth to continue.

            The feed from the outside was cut and Ishiro's voice vanished within the cockpit.  Instead, Gendo Ikari began to speak to them through the comm.  "Pilots!  Do not hesitate!  Destroy him now!"  Tension was audible in the Commander's voice.

            "Not until we understand what's going on _Commander_," snapped Asuka.

            "Rei!" said Ikari, a hint of desperation appearing in his voice, "You will do as I say.  Kill Pilot Saegusa NOW!"  Shinji gaped, he could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he had ever seen or heard his father show emotion.  What was causing him to become so expressive all of a sudden?

            "I too desire to know more of this," said Rei evenly.

            Gendo almost lost it then and there.  "PILOT AYANAMI!  I GAVE YOU AN ORDER AND YOU ARE TO OBEY IT!"

            "I will not," said Rei simply.  Shinji, along with Asuka, couldn't help but gasp.  Commander Ikari expressing emotion was one thing.  Seeing Rei refuse a direct order from him, especially one so forcefully administered, was almost impossible to envision.

            "Shinji," Gendo's tone was now pleading, "It is up to you to stop him.  Stop him now!"  Nobody had ever known the Commander to plead.  It was almost completely inconceivable.

            "I can't," replied Shinji, not yet.

            _It appears that you have run out of pawns Ikari, Ishiro's voice was suddenly audible, but no longer in the form of sound._

            "How are you doing that Ishiro?" asked Shinji.

            _Telepathy has always been one of my strong points, replied Ishiro._

            "You're telepathic?" Asuka was incredulous.

            _I am more than telepathic, was the answer, _I am more than you realize.__

            "What are you?" this time, Rei was asking.

            _I am the 19th Angel._

            In the Command Center, Misato covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.  Ritsuko managed to choke out a strangled "what."  Maya had frozen altogether.  All across the Command Center, technicians and officers were either talking in dismayed whispers or staring dumbly at the image on the multi story view screen that floated over the bridge.  Everywhere, people were visibly shaken by Ishiro's pronouncement.

            Commander Ikari was positively livid.  Misato had never seen anyone so angry.  She could see the rage burning in his eyes even through the dark glasses he always wore.  It was Maya who finally broke the silence.

            "But how is that possible?" she asked, "How can he be the 19th Angel.  We haven't even encountered the 18th yet."

            "That isn't true," said Ritsuko softly.

            _There is truth to what Dr. Akagi has to say.  Ishiro's mental "voice" was able to reach them all the way up in the Command Center._

            "You mean we've already seen the 18th Angel?" asked Misato, incredulous.

            _Of course you have.  You see the 18th Angel every day.  You see it when you look in the mirror in the morning.  You see it when you talk to your friends and family.  You see it in everyone around you.  Ishiro's cryptic answer was enough for Misato._

            "You mean we…?"

            "Yes," answered Ritsuko for Ishiro, "We, humanity, are the 18th Angel.  But that still doesn't explain how Ishiro can be the 19th."

            _I believe it does.  As you have already noticed, I possess abilities beyond those of mere humans, abilities that could only come as the result of the advancement of our species.  Ishiro's tone was smug._

            Gendo was stunned by the concept.  "But the scrolls said that human evolution has ended, that man has gone as far as he can."

            _And so he has.  But I am more than a human.  I am the next step in human evolution.  And when that occurs, the one who has evolved ceases to be human and becomes something more.  Therefore, I am simply the next Angel in line._

            "I will not let you succeed," growled Gendo, "I have come too close to realizing my goals for you to stop me."  He turned to the monitor in front of him.  "I order all pilots to attack and destroy the 19th Angel…NOW!"

            Asuka couldn't figure out what to do.  Ishiro had just declared himself to be the 19th Angel, a death wish if there ever was one.  Her purpose, Shinji's and Rei's purpose, was to destroy the Angels at whatever cost.  She remembered what Shinji had told her about Karou, about how his friend turned out to be an enemy in disguise.  She didn't know if she could bring herself to kill Ishiro, the boy who had done so much for them, even if that meant that he would be bringing the world to an end.

            _I will do no such thing, Ishiro's voice rang in her mind._

            "How?" she asked.

            _I'm telepathic, remember.  I was able to read your thoughts as you thought them._

            "How dare you invade my privacy like that?!" Asuka nearly screamed.

            _I apologize, but it's hard not to.  Having now knowledge of matters psionic, you humans learn no control over your thoughts and emotions.  And to people with my particular brand of receptiveness, you might as well be shouting your innermost thoughts at me at the top of your lungs._

            Asuka was distracted by yet another alarm going off in the cockpit.  That must mean they were close to Terminal Dogma, where this thing Ishiro called Lilith was kept.

            "What is Lilith?" she asked.

            _Lilith is the second Angel, though Shinji and Misato know her as Adam._

            "You mean that thing down there isn't Adam?" both Misato and Shinji asked at the same time.

            _Yes.  Lilith has been in NERV's possession for a much longer time than Adam.  The real location of Adam is…_

            "Enough!" shouted Gendo over the comm.  "I forbid you to say anymore!"

            _The right hand of Gendo Ikari._

            "How is that possible?" asked Misato.

            It was Ritsuko who answered that question.  "The truth of the matter has to do with the truth of Second Impact and the Katsuragi expedition."

            "You too!" snarled Gendo, whirling on Ritsuko.  The man now looked fit to kill.  "If you say anymore Dr. Akagi, I will have you executed on the spot for insubordination."

            "You will do no such thing Commander," replied Ritsuko calmly.  She then went on saying what she meant.  "We humans were the true cause of Second Impact.  Your father, Misato, and his team had found the first Angel.  They attempted to reduce Adam into an embryo so that they could take him when they left Antarctica.  However, there was a reason the 1st Angel was so large.  Adam's body had accumulated a colossal amount of energy.  And in order to reduce him into an embryonic form, all that energy had to be released, resulting in the explosion we know as second impact.  The surge of power melted Antarctica's icecap and flooded the world.  Later the event was blamed on a meteor and the truth of the matter was only known by a select few.

            "Adam and Lilith were the first two Angels.  It is they who spawned all the other Angels that we know.  Adam was the creator of the 3rd through 17th Angels while Lilith, the mother of humanity, is our creator.

            "NERV's purpose has never been the prevention of Third Impact, but rather, the instigation and control of Third Impact.  We could not allow the other 15 Angels to join with Lilith because to allow such would result in our destruction.  Only by joining of Adam and Lilith with a human as a catalyst, could Third Impact occur in a way that would result in humanity's ascendance.

            "However, an ordinary human was too weak to be such a catalyst.  We needed someone who could bare the burden of joining with both Lilith and Adam and bringing about Third Impact.  We needed someone with the blood of Angels."  Ritsuko looked pointedly at the image Unit 00.

            "Rei," Shinji said, voicing his thoughts out loud.

            "Did you know this?" Asuka asked Rei.

            "I did," replied Rei, "My purpose has always been to bring about Third Impact."

            _While that was the plan of NERV's backers, added Ishiro, __Ikari had other ideas._

            "You can't possibly know…" Gendo snapped.

            _Oh but I do know, replied Ishiro calmly, _I've known since the first day we met.  That day, I delved into the deepest darkest holes your fiendishly perverted mind could conceive and found the truth of your goals Ikari.  That is why the particular human whose cells were used in Rei's creation belonged to your wife.__

            "Stop this," hissed Gendo.

            _Your intention was never to advance human evolution Ikari, Ishiro went on, __You_ were willing to crush humanity beneath your heel if the need arose in order to be reunited with your beloved wife.__

            Gendo Ikari no longer had any answer.

            _Now it is my turn to explain myself, said Ishiro, _And___ I will start by posing a simple question.  If Lilith is the mother of humanity, who then, is Lilith's mother?_

            Shinji mulled over the question for a moment.  Then his mind went back to that conversation between him and Ishiro in America.  "You mean the Earth?"

            _Exactly; Lilith, like Battra, was a creation born of the Earth's life force.  Lilith then created humanity in all of its various stages with her blood.  Humanity developed too far for the Earth's taste and she created Battra as a sort of reminder that she was not to be trifled with.  However, humanity continued on its destructive path and eventually committed the ultimate act of sacrilege.  They took their own mother and pinned her to a cross in the caverns of Terminal Dogma.  In order to punish mankind and retrieve her daughter at the same time, the Earth sent her three avatars, living manifestations of her power.  Battra, the avatar of the sky, Manda, avatar of the sea, and Baragon, avatar of the land, were all summoned for the sole task to getting Lilith back and punishing any humans who stood in their way.  Thus, I have decided to stave off any further conflict by returning Lilith to her rightful creator.  I will remove Lilith from this hole and give her back to the Earth._

            "I will not allow it," said Gendo.

            _You no longer have a choice in the matter Commander._

            "Pilots, destroy the 19th Angel now," ordered Commander Ikari.

            The response from the three pilots was simultaneous.  "No."

            "I won't hurt my friend just because you have your own selfish goals father," said Shinji, for the first time, standing directly against the wishes of his father.

            "And I'm not going to sit and wait for you to kill us all," added Asuka.

            "We are no longer your pawns," finished Rei.

            Gendo whirled on Maya.  "Lt. Ibuki, activate the dummy plugs now!"

            Maya froze, completely unsure of what to do.  Quietly, she turned to the one person she trusted most.  "Well?" she asked Ritsuko.

            Ritsuko looked down at Maya and shook her head.  Maya turned back to Gendo.  "I will not," she said as calmly as she could manage.

            "Then I will do it myself," hissed Gendo.  He rushed over to the console.  Maya yelped when Gendo knocked her out of her seat and onto the floor.  Commander Ikari began to type frantically on the keyboard until he heard the familiar click of a gun safety being disengaged.

            "Stop right there," ordered a voice, cold as ice.  Gendo Ikari turned around to see Misato Katsuragi pointing a gun right at his head.  Misato took a deep breath and continued.  "You are hereby under arrest for conspiracy to initiate Third Impact.  You are relieved of all duties as Commander of the NERV organization and will be held until further notice."

            Gendo turned in his seat and looked pleadingly at his Fuyutsuki.  The Sub-commander looked on dispassionately and said nothing as security came forward.  After removing the pistol Commander Ikari kept stowed beneath his jacket, they lead him away to the cell blocks.

            Fuyutsuki turned back to the screen.  _Old dreams die hard, he thought sadly, _But___ I know that this is what Yui would have wanted.  "Ishiro Saegusa," he said, "You are now free to proceed with full sanction from NERV.  Pilots Ikari, Sohryu and Ayanami will assist you."_

            _I thank you sir, came Ishiro's soundless reply._

            Fuyutsuki then turned to the bridge.  "Disable all security measures," he ordered, "Let them pass."

            Finally, all four Eva units touched down in Terminal Dogma.  There before them, Lilith hung, suspended from the cross that had kept her imprisoned all this time.  Over her head was the seven-eyed mask that represented the SEELE organization.  Unit 14 strode up to Lilith and looked upon the giant being.  Ishiro smiled as he beheld the mother of all humanity, and himself.

            "It is time to take you home," he said softly.  Unit 14 reached up and began to carefully remove the large nails that pinned Lilith's hands to the cross.  As the first nail was removed, a hole was left that slowly oozed out LCL.  Then, the hole vanished in the blink of an eye.  It appeared that Lilith's regenerative powers were a match for even Godzilla's.

            Unit 14 removed the second nail.  Then, with the assistance of the other three Evas, they began the long process of hoisting Lilith up the shaft they had descended through.  The task would take many hours and the pilots would have to be careful with their charge.

            "Isn't it dangerous to allow contact between the Evas and Lilith?" Fuyutsuki asked Ritsuko, "Particularly with Units 00 and 02."

            "Not really," replied Ritsuko, "While contact with one who was born of the flesh of Adam or Lilith is necessary to instigate Third Impact, the armor that the Evas wear serves more than just as a protection.  As we saw when Unit 01 went berserk battling the 14th Angel, the armor serves to contain the true power of the Eva.  In the opposite sense, that same armor is meant to prevent actual physical contact between the Evas and Lilith, or Adam, should such an incident occur."

            "I see," replied Fuyutsuki, "So there is no need to worry then."

            "There is always a need to worry," commented Ritsuko, "Saegusa and the others must be careful for more reasons than one."

            The ascent was long and difficult.  It did not require much of Ishiro's concentration, though.  Free to focus on other things, Ishiro reached out to contact the one whom he needed to talk to.  Battra was difficult to find and Ishiro's thoughts roamed over a great deal of the Earth before they finally found the armor-plated moth.  He was resting in the lands far north of Japan and recuperating from the wounds he had incurred in the latest battle with Unit 14 and Biolante.  The first, and last, avatar of Earth would need a great deal of time to recover from the damage of that fight.

            _Battra, Ishiro inquired carefully, not sure of the mental strength and fortitude of this being, nor sure of the creatures wariness of mental intruders._

            Battra was not capable of responding with words.  The kaiju seemed to communicate on a level that transcended psychic communication.  Ishiro couldn't even begin to describe it to himself as he tried to decide how to tell Battra his intentions.

            Somehow, Battra already knew them, and before Ishiro had even realized this fact, the black moth was winging his way towards Tokyo 3 to collect his sister.  Once Ishiro realized this, he was able to retreat back into the confines of his own mind and sigh with relief, this last and most important task of his done.

            It took approximately two hours to carry the limp form of Lilith up the shaft from Terminal Dogma.  Once in the main section of the base, it was a simple matter to load Lilith onto a platform and launch her up to the surface.  After taking the time to get an entry plug for Unit 14, Ishiro and the dark Eva supplied an escort.

            When Lilith and Unit 14 emerged well outside of the city, they found Battra waiting for them, hovering almost serenely over the horizon.  With gentleness bellying his fearsome appearance, Battra gently fastened all six of his claws into Lilith's body.  At first, Ishiro was afraid that Lilith might have been too much for Battra to carry alone.  However, he was soon proved wrong as the armored moth lifted the 2nd Angel as if she weighed less than a feather and departed with all haste.  Ishiro watched them until they were little more than specks on the horizon.  When they vanished altogether, he guided his Eva back to the launch platform and descended.

            "Now what?" asked Ritsuko as they group sat in the debriefing room.  NERV was in an uproar over the arrest of Commander Ikari and his subsequent removal from command.  Even Ritsuko, Misato and Fuyutsuki couldn't seem to conceive of NERV being without the cold-hearted man in charge.

            "What indeed?" agreed Ishiro.  His thoughts, however, had nothing to do with the recent upset that had overtaken the structure of the organization.  Even though he had been the one to organize the latest developments, he was at a loss for what to do next.  NERV's greatest trial would be upon them soon.  Despite knowing this, Ishiro was unsure as to whether or not he should inform his friends and colleagues at NERV.  _I need to speak with the Cosmos again, he thought, _I also need to find out more about this thing myself before I present my friends with the information I have been supplied already.__

            "There is little that we can do at this time except wait," said Fuyutsuki, now the acting Commander of NERV.  Even after the tremendous upheaval of Gendo Ikari's unseating, Fuyutsuki remained completely calm.  "Until you are needed," he continued, "You are free to return home, for the time being.  I will inform you once we have sorted everything out."

            The Pilots, Misato, Ritsuko, and various members of the senior staff, filed out of the debriefing room.  Ishiro didn't even pause to say goodbye to his friends as he headed straight for home.

            Not that Ishiro was foremost in the thoughts of Shinji or Asuka.  "My clothes are ruined!" exclaimed Asuka as she looked at her sleeping attire, completely soaked in LCL.  Shinji's garments were in a similar state.  Fortunately for them, the staff facilities included showers for staff members who spent long periods of time on active duty.  Showers were also part of the pilot support facilities as cleaning the LCL off of the children was a frequent necessity.

            Rei was neither troubled by her own disheveled state nor that of the other children.  She was more profoundly affected by Ishiro's odd behavior.  Ever since Ishiro Saegusa had arrived, Rei had observed that the 6th Child was rarely the quiet or shy type.  That he was being so curt disturbed her somewhat.  However, when she realized her own need to return home, she realized that she could sympathize quite easily with Ishiro.

            It wasn't until Ishiro entered the front door of his apartment that he came to a realization of how much his experiences that day had drained him.  The instant he set foot inside his home, waves of overwhelming dizziness assaulted the psychic.  Ishiro managed to stagger into the bedroom, oblivious to the presence of the Cosmos in the living room.  The two tiny women quite understood the trials their host had just been through and decided between the two of them that it was best to let him rest.  Ishiro collapsed onto his bed, not bothering to change out of his clothing.  He closed his eyes and instantly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

            While Shinji, Asuka and Misato hadn't been worked nearly as hard as Ishiro during the incident, they were no less tired when they returned home.  After all, being awakened in the middle of the night was rarely ever what one could call an invigorating experience.  Thus, they were quick to retire back to their respective rooms and drift off to sleep as quickly as Ishiro had.

            Rei entered her now clean apartment and prepared to retire for the night.  The blue-haired girl had to admit that the night's events had been draining and that she was badly in need of rest.  Rei was quite glad that she would have the opportunity to sleep in the next morning and not have to worry about synchronization tests or even school.  It was an odd feeling.  Rei was used to getting setting a pattern in her life and acting it out automatically.  Things like sleeping in did not factor into her pattern and were never done.  That Rei was making such sudden variations to her way of life was, to her, another sign of the awakening of her humanity.  For some reason, the thought was quite pleasing to her.

            SEELE was in an uproar.  The recent events surrounding the loss of Lilith had thrown the once well organized council into complete and utter chaos.

            "How could we have allowed the 6th Child to work himself into a position to completely defuse our plans!" screamed one.

            "All that we have worked for is now in vain!" roared another.

            "NERV and Saegusa must be punished for this offense against us!"

            "Death is the only future awaiting them!"

            "That is quite enough!" Keel yelled, shouting to be heard over the group.  The disorganized yelling and rumbling slowly dissolved into silence.  "We are not defeated yet," he announced.

            "How?" demanded one of the other members, "Lilith, the key to Third Impact has been lost to us.  Without her, the Instrumentality of Man will be forever out of our reach."

            "Untrue," countered Keel, "Lilith may be gone, but we still have Unit 01.  Ikari is still in possession of Adam.  And even if he wasn't we still have Units 02 and 00 acting as substitutes.  We still have all the pieces necessary to bring about Third Impact.  The time has come for us to take them from NERV and bring this about ourselves."

            "How do you propose we do this?" asked another member.

            "Mobilize the Eva series," ordered Keel.

            The moon hung in space, orbiting around Earth constantly, its motion unchanged for eons.  The surface of the moon was still home to several of the spacecraft that had landed on it in the 20th Century.  However, mankind hadn't turned its eyes to the heavens with more than a cursory interest for fourteen years now.  And they hadn't thought about reaching for their closest neighbor for over half a century.

            That is not to say that the moon was empty.  Rather, it now housed a new arrival.  A gigantic shaft of dark metal jutted from the cratered planetoid's surface.  It resembled two long bars of metal, twisted around one another.  Towards the end that was embedded in the ground, the two individual strips of metal that seemed to compose the main shaft divided to form a forked tip.  The object was at least a hundred meters long.  The Lance of Longenus, which had been used to slay the 15th Angel, remained, entombed seemingly forever on the lifeless surface of a world that suddenly seemed so very far away.

            And yet, not far enough; for high above the moon's surface, an enormous dark mass glided almost majestically over.  Its shape was roughly ovoid, making it look like a giant egg, whose shell was composed of thousands of rocks and boulders, all pulled together to create a greater mass.  Tumbling end over end, the asteroid made its apparently unguided approach towards the blue-green planet before it.  However, its approach was anything but unguided.

            As the meteor passed overhead, the Lance rocked in its resting place, as if it were being pulled upon by some unseen force.  With each passing second as the rock overhead shortened the distance between the Lance and itself even further, the metal shaft's vibrations intensified.  Finally, as the asteroid passed the point closest to the Lance, the weapon finally wrenched itself free from its resting place.  It slowly began to accelerate, tumbling uncontrollably, but was unable to close the distance between itself and the asteroid.  Finally, as the object pulled away, the forces acting on the Lance weakened, and then disappeared altogether.  But it had been done.  The Lance of Longenus was now free from the moon's gravitational field and was now returning to the place of its origin; Earth.

            Ishiro awoke more refreshed than he had been in days.  Looking at his right hand, Ishiro was relieved to see that there were no changes from the previous day, save that his hand did not look nearly as new as it had when it had first been revealed from within the canister of LCL that had provided the perfect environment for its regeneration.

            "I wonder if Suzahara will be willing to act as my next test subject," mused Ishiro.  He decided to think on it another time.  Right now, he needed to concentrate on the more immediate problem.

            "I guess I will have to take a better look of what we are up against," he said to himself.

            "Be cautious," Mona's voice piped up from by his bed.  Ishiro yelped and rolled over to look at the two tiny fairies that had come into his room.  He quickly put a finger to his lips and used his senses to determine whether anybody monitoring him had heard Mona.  Apparently he was lucky and nobody noticed.

            _You two have got to stop masking your presences from me, scolded Ishiro, _I nearly had a heart attack and I'm not even fifteen._  He scowled and continued.  _Refrain from speaking out loud while you are within the confines of this apartment.  I cannot begin to factor all the possible things that might happened if NERV discovered you two.  They could quite possibly try to capture you for study.  And I certainly don't need you calling Mothra down on ___Tokyo_ 3, especially with what's about to happen.__

            _My apologies, replied Mona, __We will refrain from using any vocal means of communication while we are on the premises._

            _Thank you, said Ishiro, __Now, what were you warning me about?_

            _I was warning you to be cautious of probing our foe with your powers.  He is powerful both physically and mentally, answered Lora._

            _Thanks for the warning, replied Ishiro, _But___ I can handle just about anything where psychic matters are concerned.  He smirked.  __This won't be very difficult at all.  _Now if you'll excuse me, I need to focus.  I'm about to reach across the vastness of space.__

            Ishiro closed his eyes and concentrated.  Gradually, he felt his ties with his form loosening, and his consciousness catapulted outwards, leaving his physical body far behind.  While he couldn't actually see it happening, Ishiro felt his mind leaving the boundaries of the Earth's atmosphere and heading out into the darkness that lay beyond.  Out there, he encountered what he was looking for.  It glowed like a great black beacon to his mental eyes, an oxy moron if he had ever seen one.  Its soul was darkness incarnate.  Never before in his life, had Ishiro sensed something so innately evil.  It chilled him to the very center of his being.

            _I am more than prepared, he thought to himself, trying to find the courage and bravado to continue, __I am more than a match for a mindless brute of a kaiju.  With that last thought, Ishiro plunged in, shaping his probe like a lance of psychic energy and sending it streaking into the center of the dark mass._

            It only took a fraction of a second for the unfortunate boy to realize the depth of his mistake.  The instant he had penetrated into the dark mind, his foe responded with terrible power.  A backlash of dark energy smashed into Ishiro's mind and sent him reeling.  Even as he was still recovering, a second attack followed upon the heels of the first, threatening to consume his conscious self altogether.  Fortunately, Ishiro managed to weather the second blow.  He mustered all of his strength and continued inwards, hoping to plow past any more mental defenses.

            Surprisingly, no further attacks came his way.  As Ishiro pushed deeper into the creature's mind, he felt a dramatic increase in power.  Finally, when the human reached the center of the great monster's consciousness, he was nearly knocked away by the sheer energy that emanated from the center of the beast's being.  It was only then that Ishiro realized that this thing was not even aware of him yet.  The attacks he had felt on the outskirts of this thing's mind must have been a reflexive defense.  Ishiro cringed inwardly when he tried to envision what kind of attack the kaiju would be capable of should he become fully aware of Ishiro's presence.

            It was at that moment that he noticed that the mind had suddenly become quite aware of him.  In that instant, the counterattack plunged him directly into blackness.

            Shinji was making breakfast.  Asuka had seated herself at the table.  A few moments later, Misato joined them.  Just as Shinji was about to plate the omelets he had made, the temperature in the room seemed to plunge.  So shocked was he at the sudden change, that the 3rd Child nearly dropped the plates of food.  Goosebumps formed across his skin and his hair stood on end as some sort of powerful negative force seemed to flood the room.  It was a chill that struck his very soul.

            Behind him, both Asuka and Misato were experiencing a very similar chill.  Misato completely lost her grip on the beer can she was holding, dropping the whole thing to the floor.  She had gotten this same feeling when she had found out about Kaji's death.  It was suddenly like every single one of her nightmares had come to life.

            Asuka's reaction was even more dramatic.  She seized the edge of the table in both her hands as her muscles tensed.  The girl fought against the impending convulsions in her stomach as it threatened to reject a breakfast she had not yet consumed.  Asuka felt the bile rising in her throat and would have tried to run to the bathroom to release it had that same sensation not completely frozen her in place.  It was the feeling she had gotten when she was a little girl, when she came into her mother's room, only to stumble upon her mother, slowly swinging from side to side, suspended by the rope around her neck.  It was the feeling she had gotten not so long ago, when her mind was raped by the 15th Angel.  It was everything horrible that ad ever happened to her and then some.

            Rei gasped and dropped to her knees.  She had just emerged from the shower and was dressing when the feeling hit.  Rei felt her blood turn into ice.  The whole thing threatened to stop her heart altogether.  Gathering up her willpower, Rei Ayanami struggled against the sensation, attempting to force it off her with the strength of her will.  But, she slowly felt her defenses weakening beneath the crushing force of whatever it was behind this strange attack.

            All across Tokyo 3, people were experiencing that same sensation.  It was as if someone had dropped a bomb of pure negative energy.  Humans throughout the city felt as if their souls were being frozen.  For some, the awesome attack was too much to bear.  The elderly, the weak of heart and mind, many children were struck down by the powerful mental blast that reverberated throughout the city and radiated across most of Japan.  Then, in an instant, the strange power vanished and everything seemed normal again.

            The incident had occurred over the course of a few short seconds.  However, it had seemed to last much longer to all those who experienced it.  Some were already beginning to take it as a portent of something terrible to come.

            When Ishiro finally returned to consciousness, dusk had fallen over Tokyo 3.  With a groan, he sat up in bed and looked around.  He felt much drained and his head throbbed continually.  "What hit me?" he muttered.

            _That was extremely reckless of you, thundered a voice in his head.  Turning to look around, Ishiro's gaze fell upon the Cosmos.  Both of them looked quite irritated.  _You could have been killed,_ Mona's voice pounded again._

            "Stop shouting," groaned Ishiro out loud, forgetting for a moment about his own abilities.

            Lora's voice entered his mind.  This time, it was much quieter.  _You have suffered a powerful psychic blow.  As a result, your mind will be quite sensitive to mental contact for a while, seeming to amplify any form of psychic contact._

            _You are quite lucky that your psyche wasn't shattered altogether, scolded Mona, _that counterattack was so powerful that it engulfed the entire city as well as yourself.  It even ended several lives.__

            Ishiro had lost track of the conversation.  Both his body and his mind were almost completely out of commission.  Mere seconds later, the boy fell back onto his bed, darkness overcoming him.

            The King of Terror was extremely proud of his work.  The foolish human had sought to penetrate HIS mind.  That human had paid quite dearly, sharing its punishment with a number of its compatriots as well as itself.  But that was not the source of the creature's satisfaction.  The only reason he had not annihilated the human intruder was because he had other plans for the monkey.  At the same moment he had attacked, he had sown his seed into the human's mind.  All that seed had to do was wait for its master's call to germinate and spread.  Then, the human would be his!

            When Ishiro came to for the second time, he felt slightly better.  Night had passed and morning had replaced it.  The day was already growing old and it was approaching noon.  As he staggered out of the bedroom, Ishiro went first to the refrigerator.  He had not eaten for over twenty-four hours and he was very hungry.  Silently, the Cosmos watched his every move.

            After filling his stomach, Ishiro turned to regard his guests.  They both looked quite solemn.  _What's the matter?_ he asked.

            _The day has arrived, was all that Lora could say.  Ishiro's jaw dropped.  The time had already come._

            _He will come with the fall of night, added Lora._

            Ishiro sank back into his seat.  "It's too soon," he moaned, "Much too soon."

            Inside Central Dogma, alarms were going off throughout the facility.  Ritsuko rushed into the Command Center.  "What's going on?" she demanded.

            "A meteor is about to enter Earth's atmosphere," Makoto shouted over the clamor.

            "It's predicted to land just outside of Tokyo 3," added Maya.

            "I'm already ordering the civilian evacuation," said Shigeru, "They'll all be in their shelters by the time this thing hits."

            "I want the pilot's down here immediately!" shouted Ritsuko.

            "Done!" replied Maya.

            "May I ask why?" inquired Fuyutsuki as he joined them.  As always, the man seemed unnaturally calm.

            "We can't afford to take chances," replied Ritsuko, "This is the most secure area.  I don't want to lose any of them."

            "An excellent choice," said Fuyutsuki, nodding.

            "Now what?" grumbled Asuka as they rode the car train down into the geofront.

            "I have no idea," said Shinji.  He was riding in the back seat with Ishiro and Rei while Asuka rode up front with Misato.

            "We just received a report  that a meteor is about to impact just outside of Tokyo 3," answered Misato, "Ritsuko wanted you guys down here where it's safer."  When Misato had gotten the call from NERV, she collected all the children post haste, as she was responsible for making sure that they made it down into Central Dogma.

            Shinji noticed that his two companions seemed unusually pensive, Ishiro especially so.  "Is something the matter?" he asked the 6th Child.

            To his surprise, Ishiro nodded.  "Yes," replied Ishiro, "Something very bad is about to happen.  I know it."

            "Is this part of being psychic," Asuka wanted to know.  Ishiro nodded in response.  "That can't be good," she said in response.

            Ishiro felt another hand rest atop his.  He turned his head and looked at Rei.  They exchanged no words, only a silent glance that spoke more than their mere voices could convey.

            Shinji broke the silence.  "Does it have anything to do with what happened yesterday morning?"

            Ishiro nodded.  "What was that?" asked Asuka.

            "Yesterday morning, I attempted to use my psychic powers to contact the creature in the meteor…"

            "Wait a minute!" exclaimed Misato, "You mean there's something alive in that rock?"

            "Yes," replied Ishiro, "And it is quite hostile.  When I attempted a mental probe, it retaliated.  That retaliation was so powerful that it dropped a psychic bombshell over the entire city and then some."

            "So the thing in that meteor was the cause of this," said Asuka, "But what is it?"

            "I think you have a fairly good idea," said Ishiro evenly.

            "What?"  Asuka was taken aback.

            "What do you mean Ishiro?" Rei asked.

            "I know that you've been having nightmares recently," Ishiro said to Asuka, "They didn't perchance involve a nasty monster spreading death and destruction now did they?"

            The gasp from Asuka confirmed Ishiro's presumption.

            "How did you know about that?" demanded Shinji.  The car train came to a stop as it finally arrived at the parking lot.  Misato drove her car out and found a parking space.

            Ishiro answered as they were getting out.  "You could say I was eavesdropping on Asuka's nighttime terrors."

            As he closed the car door and turned away, Ishiro walked into a full bodied slap that nearly threw him to the ground.  Asuka stood in front of him, livid with rage.  "You bastard!" she hissed, "Stay out of my head."

            Rubbing to sore spot on his cheek Ishiro ignored her last remark.  "I also received information like you did," he said after a moment.

            "You had dreams too?" asked Rei.

            "No," replied Ishiro, "But I received my information from the same source."

            "And what source might that be?" Misato wanted to know.

            "That I am afraid I cannot tell you," said Ishiro, "My information wishes to remain anonymous."

            They left the car and began making their way through the base.  About ten minutes later, they arrived at the Command Center.

            "I see that everyone's here," said Ritsuko, "Good."

            "Commander," Misato said to Fuyutsuki, "Ishiro has just informed me that there might be a kaiju inside that meteorite."

            "How could he possibly have any idea about what that thing is?" wondered the new Commander.

            "Ishiro claimed to have achieved psychic contact with it.  Its counterattack, according to him, was the source of yesterday's incident."

            Fuyutsuki paled noticeably.  "That explains a great deal."

            "Our analysis sets the time of impact at about 6:37 PM," interjected Ritsuko.

            "What about the civilian evacuation?" Misato asked.

            Shigeru answered.  "All civilians in the predicted affected area have reported to their shelters.  All we have to do is wait."

            "Where is the meteor now?"

            "Right now it would be directly over the eastern edge of the pacific ocean," replied Makoto, "It's coming straight in so that when it finally enters our atmosphere, it will be almost directly over the impact point."

            "That makes sense," said Misato.

            "It doesn't seem possible that a kaiju would be locked inside a meteorite," mused Ritsuko.

            "It is possible," replied Ishiro, "During the 80s and 90s, two of the kaiju that attacked Japan had their origins in outer space."

            "Which ones were they?" asked Ritsuko.

            "The last one was a space born clone of Godzilla," answered Ishiro, "Scientists were unsure of his origins.  However, several theories exist on how G-cells could have entered outer space and gone through the alterations necessary to become an entirely new entity that was an altered version of the original Godzilla.  The most likely one to date is that when Biolante, who was created from G-cells, went into orbit around the Earth as a cloud of pollen, some of her spores detached.  Over time, one of these spores was infected with a sort of crystalline organism, which copied the genetic template and began to develop into a new version of Godzilla.  For reasons still unknown, Space Godzilla, which he was dubbed, was preprogrammed to return to Earth and eliminate the original.  Fortunately, Godzilla, acting in concert with the robot that was originally designed to destroy him, was able to kill the monster."

            "So this might be another Space Godzilla," said Fuyutsuki.

            "It's possible," said Ishiro, "Space could be contaminated with any number of G-cell samples.  All it would take would be another gathering of the right circumstances and another space monster could be born from those detached cells.  It's unlikely though, as space is a vast place, compared to the number of G-cells that are probably out there."

            "You mentioned a second monster," interjected Misato, "What about him."

            "That monster," responded Ishiro, "Is our most likely suspect.  He was the first space monster to hit Earth.  He arrived in the early 90s.  He was called King Ghidorah."

            "That sounds like something out of an old Japanese legend," said Shinji, who had been listening quietly for the last few minutes.

            "That's where the name came from," replied Ishiro, "King Ghidorah looks like something directly out of a fairy tale.  He's a great dragon of tremendous size.  My mother told me that he could spew lightning and cause hurricane force winds.  Coincidentally, or maybe not so, King Ghidorah arrived on Earth disguised as a meteorite."

            "What do you suggest we do?" asked Fuyutsuki, "You are the official expert on kaiju within NERV."

            "We can only wait right now," said Ishiro, "We will have to fight King Ghidorah head on with the Evas.  Conventional weapons are even less effective against him than against Godzilla."

            "Very well then," said Fuyutsuki.  He turned to Ritsuko.  "Prepare all Eva units.  In six hours, we will prepare to go to battle against whatever this meteorite brings."  Turning to the pilots, he said, "Eat, rest, and prepare yourselves."

            As he turned away, Ishiro felt a queer stabbing pain in the back of his mind.  The young man quickly shook it off as he went to join his fellow pilots in the mess hall.  He couldn't afford to be distracted by minor aches and pains.  He was quite sure that, despite his abilities, he had no idea of the trials that were to come.  But he would find out soon enough.

Author's notes: Many events in this chapter are a response to the constructive criticism that I have made the character of Ishiro without character flaws, something essential in any fictional character.  As much as it is a stabbing blow to my pride to admit it, my critics were correct.  I have tried to add some flaws now, with more to become apparent later, in hopes that I can improve the content of this story greatly.  And thus, I have started with a healthy dose of arrogance on Ishiro's part.  If anyone as suggestions on how I can further develop my OC's character, please feel free to share them with me.  I'm always looking for a little helpful input.


	13. The King of Terror Cometh

Author's Note: Whew, this chapter took some writing, but it's finally finished.  And here it is, what I think is perhaps the most exciting and action packed chapter thus far in my fic.  I hope you agree.

Disclaimer: It gets old, but it bears repeating.  I don't own Evangelion or Godzilla.

**Chapter 13:** The King of Terror Cometh

            The sky was just beginning to darken as the glowing meteor plunged downward.  Below it laid the city of Tokyo 3.  The tallest buildings had long since been lowered into the geofront.  As the meteor continued to descend, its already red hot surface seemed to glow even brighter from some sort of unearthly power within.

            Even when seen from the safety of Central Dogma, in the center of NERV headquarters, secure under hundreds of feet of solid rock and more than twenty plates of armor, it was a daunting sight.  Ishiro felt the slightest chill run down his spine at the sensations he was receiving from the rock.  They weren't anything that could be linked to any of the five human senses, but rather a general sense of foreboding and a recognizing of the unimaginable evil incased in that vessel of stone.  One didn't even need psychic powers to sense that much.  The dark energy that radiated from the mass of stone was palpable even to those who had no notion of the sixth sense.

            Despite that, Ishiro was surprised to discover that when he again tried to carefully probe for the creature within the meteor, that its presence was strangely muted.  He couldn't quite place what it felt like, but for some reason the thing didn't register to his probes.

            Not quite as distracting, but quickly growing into a major irritant was his other problem.  It had started as a slight pricking in the back of his mind, as if someone had taken a needle, shrunk down by a hundred times and then attempted to drive it into the rear lobes of his brain.  At first it was a simple thing to ignore.  Ishiro waved it off as a minor side effect of the events of the previous day.  But as the hours passed and the time for confrontation with the enemy grew nearer, the pricking had developed into a low pulse that never ceased.  This had the primary effect of keeping him rather distracted, and the secondary effect of shortening his temper considerably.

            "Is it time?" asked Rei, coming up to stand next to him.

            "Almost," answered Ishiro, trying to hide his irritation at the incessant pounding in the back of his head.

            Rei's hand slipped into his and her fingers intertwined with his own.  Her unease was quite clear now.  "You feel it too," he said.  Rei only nodded and tightened her grip.

            "I cannot help but feel." she seemed to struggle to find the right word, "Agitated by the feeling that emanates from that thing.  It is like a great weight that presses down against me."

            Ishiro nodded.  He couldn't let Rei know how much worse it was for him.  His extra receptiveness to that same feeling, the uncertainty in the monster's silence, the weird throbbing in his brain, all were beginning to wear him down.  Ishiro knew he couldn't show any weakness or the other might falter.  He alone among all present knew anything about what was going on.  And if he started to show uncertainty, their confidence in him and themselves would wane and they truly would be fighting a losing battle.

            "You are afraid too," said Rei.  It wasn't a question.

            Ishiro looked over at her.  She could be so observant at times.  Rei merely stared back at him with those brilliant red eyes.  Ishiro couldn't lie to her anymore.  "Yes," he replied, "I think I'm probably even more scared than you."

            "If you know so much," inquired Rei, "Then why do you fear?"

            "It is that knowledge that makes me nervous," said Ishiro, "The things my mother used to tell me about the space monsters.  They have power that you can't even begin to imagine."

            "If they have been defeated before, we will do so again here," stated Rei firmly.

            "We will see," was all that Ishiro said.

            "Are you ready Shinji?" asked Asuka.

            "I don't know," said Shinji, "I don't think I've ever been ready.  I don't want to fight.  But I don't want to run away anymore either."

            Asuka nodded and looked away from him.  Shinji slid closer to her on the bench they shared in the holding cage for Unit 01.  Next to them was the door that led to Unit 02's holding cage.  Across was the door to Unit 14's.  Unit 00 was in a special holding cage in a separate section of Central Dogma that was modified to maintain the artificial diamond armor the Eva now sported.

            Asuka tensed slightly as Shinji wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her close.  "It's your dreams, isn't it?" he asked.

            "I can't help but feel that they are all coming true," said Asuka, "I saw so many terrible things Shinji."

            "Did you see exactly?" he asked.

            "I saw destruction and death," answered Asuka in a voice that wasn't quite her own, "I saw cities burning, people dieing.  I smelled the stink of burning flesh, the scent of ash and dust.  I heard buildings falling, the screams of the dieing.  But I never saw what was responsible.  But everything that has been going on tells me that my dreams are linked to whatever is on the meteorite."

            "Are you going to fight?" Shinji wanted to know.

            "I think.I have to," said Asuka.

            "You don't have to," said Shinji, "If you don't feel that you can, you don't have to fight."

            "But Ishiro is right," Asuka replied, "Those dreams were sent to me by someone.  I think whoever sent them meant for me to fight against whatever is coming.  And when I think about it that way, I don't think I can back down."

            "Just remember," said Shinji firmly, "No matter what you think or believe, it will always be your choice."

            Asuka smiled slightly as she heard this.  She turned to look into his eyes.  "Hey, you're supposed to be the weak one, remember."

            Shinji chuckled and smiled back at her.  "I have my moments," he said with a small amount of relief.  He was glad that he had succeeded in raising her spirits somewhat.

            Asuka began to relax and leaned against him.  They waited there, resting against one another in the hope that this wouldn't be their last opportunity to do so.  Then, the fated words echoed across the rooms.

            "Impact in 10.9."

            "8.7.6."  The final countdown had begun.  The meteor was mere seconds away from impact.  Ishiro tensed as it approached the ground.

            "5.4.3."  Then, the unexpected happened.  The meteor began to slow slightly as its descent continued.  It was moving more slowly, but not enough to throw off the countdown.

            "2.1.Impact!"  Fortunately, the chunk of falling rock was off target.  It landed well outside the city limits.  However, the vibrations of its impact were powerful enough to be felt all the way down inside the Command Center.  Shockwaves radiated out from the epicenter, wiping away trees and vegetation all around the area where it hit.  The shockwaves eventually broke over the outskirts of Tokyo 3, toppling dozens of buildings and reducing them into rubble in less than a second.

            Riding upon the shockwaves and extending out even farther, a second power took effect.  Suddenly, all images and transmissions from the surface ceased.  The screens were all filled with static.  Reports came in by word of mouth of a few small fires occurring in the upper sections of the base.

            "Could this thing have the same sort of power as Manda?" inquired Ritsuko.  She was referring to the dragon's ability to silence any form of manmade communications.

            "I'm afraid not," said Shigeru from his console, "That thing just released a powerful electromagnetic pulse.  It's fired everything electronic up past the eight level."

            "That would mean that the launch paths are closed until we can recover," exclaimed Maya, "We have no means of deploying the Evas now!"

            "How long will it take to get our upper systems back online!" demanded Misato.

            "Ten minutes at best," answered Makoto.

            "That short?" asked Ishiro.  He was no electronics expert.

            "Most of the really important systems were heavily shielded against EMP," replied Makoto, "They can be shut down, but they should be protected from any damage that might result."

            "Let's hurry and get this done," ordered Fuyutsuki from the command deck, "We have no time to lose."  He glanced down at Ishiro and Rei.  "The two of you should report to your holding cages."

            They nodded and departed.

            Shinji and Asuka had already boarded their respective entry plugs and awaited the command from Misato.  "We're going to wait until we can reestablish contact with the surface before prepping the plugs for injection," she explained, "Just be patient, this shouldn't take too long."

            Ishiro was barely paying attention to Misato's words.  The throbbing in his head had become a pounding that was now causing him a great deal of pain.  He did his best to fight it and remain focused and in control.  But he was starting to wonder if the stress of the past few hours was finally taking its toll.  All he could do was hope that he could maintain synchronization with Erika.

            "Hold on," said Misato over the comm., "We're getting the picture back.now!"

            Inside the entry plug, an image came into being, floating in front of Ishiro's face.  His eyes narrowed as he undertook a closer examination of the scene.

            Other than the damage caused by the initial impact, nothing appeared to have occurred since the EMP had hit.  This made Ishiro suspicious.

            "We haven't gotten the launch paths clear yet, so we won't inject the entry plugs until they are," said Misato.  Relief was beginning to show on her face.  There was no sign of the calamity that Ishiro had predicted.  Perhaps there was no monster after all.

            "An airborne unit is approaching the impact site now," said Makoto in the background.  The image shifted from the skyline of the city, to an aerial view of the crater.

            Asuka's eyes narrowed when she saw what was inside.  From what she could see, the meteor was mostly intact.  Even large meteors normally vaporized on impact, leaving little or nothing behind.  Furthermore, the impact radius was far too small for an object of that mass.  That indicated that the meteor had hit at a vastly reduced velocity than it should have hit with.  She didn't like this at all.  There was something down there.

            Ishiro's voice came over the comm.  "Can you switch to infrared?"

            "I thought you could see in the infrared spectrum," said Shinji, his voice also transmitting over the network.

            "Yeah, but I thought you knew that it wouldn't be able to through a camera image."  Ishiro's voice was terse.

            "Oh," mumbled Shinji.

            As per Ishiro's request, the picture of the meteor was replaced with an infrared image.  On the right side of the screen was a bar and key that showed the color codes for different temperatures.  Asuka could see that the rock was hot; very hot in fact.  At first she simply dismissed it as residual heat from the atmosphere.  Then, she noticed that the meteor's temperature was changing rapidly.  A quick comparison with the key told her that the meteorite's temperature was increasing, not decreasing.  At its current temperature, it was at about 5000 degrees and rising.

            "That is really hot," said Asuka.

            "And getting hotter," interjected Ishiro, "Switch back to the visible spectrum."

            The camera did so.  There was no sign of increasing heat with in this image.  "It must be internal," remarked Shinji.

            "How long until the launch paths are cleared?" asked Rei, speaking for the first time.

            "Give us another three minutes," replied Misato.

            "Make that thirty minutes," shouted Makoto.

            "What?" yelled all the pilots and Misato, with the exception of Rei, who was still used to following orders, one of the remnants of her training under Commander Ikari.  She was used to simply obeying without question.

            Just as Makoto was speaking, the image of the crater and the meteor dissolved into static.  "We've lost contact again," came Shigeru's voice.

            "What happened?" shouted Misato.

            "There's a new surge of electromagnetic energy," answered Makoto, "We can't get anything online until it ends.  Judging by the strength of the pulse, we're estimating another twenty minutes at least before it clears up."

            "We need a picture, any kind of picture," roared Misato, "I want visual contact at least at all times!"

            "We're trying," said Makoto, "I've already set people to work placing extra shielding around the circuits.  We're not sure how well it'll work though."

            "Get it down as fast as you can," ordered Fuyutsuki, "I want everything online again as fast as possible."

            The pilot sighed in relief as he watched from the relative safety of the seat that he had ejected from his aircraft.  The second the new pulse had hit the helicopter, everything had failed, except the ejection seat which, by regulation, was strictly mechanical with no reliance on electronics, making it impossible to defeat with an EMP.  Below him, the aircraft he had only just abandoned was dropping into the crater.  He estimated that it would hit near the edge.

             But as he watched, the trajectory of the falling aircraft began to swerve, changing course to directly towards the meteor.  The ship hit and exploded, sending debris flying everywhere, only to have it retract back along the course it had come, back towards the meteor.

            Even as he descended, the man began to feel the tug on the bits of metal in the pilot's chair.  He too was being drawn towards that strange rock.  The pilot didn't know what to make of it, but every instinct within his mind screamed against allowing this to happen.  Unfortunately, the man didn't have much choice as he had no control over the descent of his seat.  True to his training in the JSSDF, he calmly awaited whatever end came as the result of this.

            He never reached his destination.  The pilot was a mere hundred meters above the meteor when a low rumble filled the air.  Vibrations emanated outward from the meteor, which was beginning to shake so hard that its image was becoming blurry and indistinct.  The man could sense a sort of gathering, an amassing of powerful energy within the meteorite.  A crack appeared and splintered off into several smaller cracks.  Superheated gasses leaked out from the interior as more cracks appeared.  Any one of the new geysers would be hot enough to cook the unfortunate pilot alive.  However, he never got close enough.

            A second later, the hissing gasses were replaced with crackling flames.  Then, the entire rock was shattered by a terrible explosion from within.  A roaring ball of flame consumed the remains of the meteor and rose upwards.  It engulfed the pilot.  At first he felt only the heat of the flames melting the skin off his body and devouring the tissue underneath.  But then, he felt something much more sinister at work as a paradoxical darkness within the flames surrounded him and began to draw out his very life-force.  The man felt as if his soul was being stripped from him and being consumed by the terrible force.  Then, it was over as the flames reduced his body to cinders, then nothing.

            Kensuke gasped as he watched through the lens of his camera.  He had deliberately disobeyed orders and not entered one of the shelters when the order had been given.  Luck had been with him today as he had escaped the effects of both the shockwave and the EMP by virtue of being far enough away from the impact site.  Kensuke couldn't help but record what might be one of the most important events in history.

            He was beginning to doubt the wisdom of this endeavor though, as a roar filled the air and a massive explosion erupted upwards from the area of the impact.  A great, smokeless ball of flame was climbing into the sky.  At first, Kensuke had expected it to dissipate harmlessly into the atmosphere.  But, as he watched in awe, the flames began to move eerily in concert with one another.  The ball seemed to contract in upon itself, the flames rolling inward like the petals of a blooming flower in reverse.  Finally, the flames began to take shape and Kensuke found that he could no longer steady the camera because of his sheer horror at what he was witnessing.

            Two great sheets of fire spread outward from either side of the larger mass.  Then, three comparatively thin tendrils extended upwards and forwards between the two sheets.  Two slightly thicker stumps extended downward from the center with two even thinner ones extending down and behind, barely visible from Kensuke's angle.

            The flames began to fade.  The sheets faded into vast sail-like wings spread outward from a body decked in diamond-shaped scales.  The two stumps became four-towed feet, resembling an elephant's in shape somewhat.  The thinnest tendrils became a pair of tails, ending in spiked clubs that whirled around behind the forming creature.  And lastly, the three tendrils extending upward transformed into three serpentine necks, each capped with the head of what resembled a Chinese dragon, writhing about like a nest of snakes.  Each of the three heads was crowned with horns.  The creature's entire body, wings and all, was a brilliant golden color that reflected the light of the setting sun, making the monster seem to glow in the fading light.  With a final dramatic flash of light, the monster was awakened and ready to wreak havoc.  It descended on the helpless city, all three heads screeching madly.

            Kensuke gulped and realized that he had just made the worst mistake of his entire life.

            "We've got contact again," said Makoto, "We've lost our aerial."

            "It was probably knocked down by the EMP," said Shigeru.

            "Well show me what you got," said Misato.

            "I'll get one of the fixed cameras online for you," said Shigeru.  Within seconds, they had a panoramic view of Tokyo 3 as seen by one of the cameras farthest away from the area of impact.  With a few typed commands, Shigeru panned the camera towards the site.  When it was properly aligned, the image sent back by the camera shocked the entire Command Center into absolute silence.

            Misato gulped.  "Uh Ishiro," she said in a subdued tone, "Are you getting this?"

            Ishiro sighed when he saw the image that came into being in front of him.  "I hate it when I'm right."

            "So that's King Ghidorah," said Shinji.

            "The one and only."

            If there was one word that could be used to describe King Ghidorah, it was magnificent.  Decked out in golden scales with vast wings and three dragon head upon writhing serpentine necks made the kaiju an impressive sight.  It was the very personification of the word monster.  It was at once beautiful and frightening.  Now, it sailed on those massive wings towards the helpless city.

            "Get those launch paths clear now!" yelled Ishiro, his ache momentarily forgotten, "We've got to get out there.  That thing'll wreck the entire city in a matter of minutes!"

            "We can't clear the launch paths for another five minutes at best," shouted Makoto from the comm.

            "That'll be all the time it needs," hissed Ishiro.

            "We're going to prep and inject the entry plugs now," said Misato, "And then we'll move you to the launch pads so that you're good to go the second the launch paths are clear."

            King Ghidorah descended on the city like a great demonic entity.  As one, the three heads swung about and three maws opened wide to reveal slavering mouths lined with razor-sharp teeth and forked tongues.  Energy crackled around inside those mouths and spewed forth in golden beams of energy that resembled bolts of lightning.  But no lightning was ever like this.

            The bolts of power shattered everything in their paths, exploding with the fury of a hundred bombs.  Buildings were smashed and lit afire as the beams of energy swept over them.  Each of the three heads moved independently, each sweeping its individual beam over a different section of the city in front of and below it.  Sometimes one would fire across towards the other flank or upwards, seemingly into empty space.  The creature went about its task with relentless efficiency and savagery, ripping apart the landscape below it.

            But it wasn't even beginning to destroy.  As King Ghidorah swept over the city, gusts of hurricane force winds from its wings flattened those skyscrapers still standing and fanning the flames of the fires it had already set.  The creature flew at a leisurely pace, firing its beams at will but keeping the majority of the force of its attack focused on the area directly in front of and below it as it flew overhead.

            Kensuke was only slightly relieved that he wasn't in the creature's direct path.  If he had been unlucky.  He didn't want to think about it.

            King Ghidorah ripped a single, fiery swath straight down the center of the city.  All it left behind was scorched earth and flaming rubble.  It flew out past the city limits, all three heads shrieking and cackling madly, as if the thing took some sort of perverse glee at the destruction it wrought.  With grace that bellied its tremendous size, King Ghidorah swung about for another pass.

            "Synchronization is complete," reported Maya.  She frowned as she looked at the data in front of her.  "Odd," she mumbled.

            "What is it?" asked Ritsuko.

            "Ishiro's synch rate is abysmal compared to what he can normally do," answered Maya, "He's only synchronized at 72.8%"

            "Are you okay Ishiro," Misato asked over the comm.

            From the other end, she heard Ishiro chuckle nervously. "Just a little nervous, that's all," he responded.

            "Moving all Evas to the launch pad," stated Maya.

            "We've just got the launch paths clear," reported Makoto.

            "Then launch the damn things!" yelled Misato.

            Ishiro felt his stomach lurch as Unit 14 surged upwards towards the monster waiting for them above.  He couldn't help but worry if they were strong enough to defeat the monster.  He could see the end of their upward journey already as a light appeared ahead.

            Unit 14 shot up through a doorway in the street with incredible speed, coming to halt the instant it was above ground.  Not far away, the doors of a launch silo opened to reveal Unit 01.  Unit 00 appeared in similar fashion, its plasma cannon already on a holster-like attachment on the left safety lock.  Unit 02, like Unit 01, emerged from a street door.

            "Ishiro, you're in charge," said Misato, "You probably have the best idea of what to do."

            "Okay," replied Ishiro.  He immediately began to give orders.  "Rei, take point, you're going to receive the brunt of Ghidorah's first attack.  Hopefully your armor will work with whatever kind of attack that was."

            "Yes," answered Rei, taking the forward position facing King Ghidorah's approach vector.

            "Shinji, Asuka, you two will take the flanks.  Use pole arms, we've got to get in close and under King Ghidorah's range so we can bring it down."  Shinji and Asuka responded with an affirmative and moved to a weapons station.  There, two progressive halberds arrived, sent from headquarters.  Unit 01 took the left flank while Unit 02 took the right flank.

            Ishiro made Unit 14 take up the position directly behind Unit 00.  Unit 14 then deployed its AT swords.  He was more out of touch than usual and the Eva seemed to respond sluggishly to his commands.  Then, Ishiro noticed that the pounding in the back of his head had intensified yet again.

            _What's going on?_ he wondered.  Then, the realization hit him.  _No!_  He was barely able to protest and didn't even have time to scream before the pounding became thundering that drowned out everything else in his world.

            Misato and the others watched in shock and horror as Unit 14 raised one of its blades and plunged it into the backside of Unit 00.  The tip of the blade emerged from the front, protruding out from Unit 00's chest.  Inside, Rei screamed in pain as she felt what her Eva felt.  A small trickle of blood began to leak out of her plugsuit.

            Even as it thrust with its left sword, Unit 14 raised its right one and brought it down in a single slash, severing the Unit 02's umbilical cable.

            "What!?" exclaimed Asuka, looking over at the treacherous Eva.  "Ishiro, I thought you were one of us."

            Shinji turned to face Unit 14 and stop Ishiro from attacking Asuka again.  But, before he could even move, Unit 14's limbs went limp and the black Eva slumped down.  "Unit 14 has gone silent," said Makoto.

            King Ghidorah chose that moment to launch its attack.  It rushed in, launching a barrage of lightning bolts at the four Evas and their distracted pilots.  None of them could react in time to unfold their AT fields to protect themselves and thus took the full force of the attack.

            Shinji threw Unit 01 backwards in an attempt to dodge the first bolt that came his way.  But King Ghidorah's right head swung, tracking his movements.  The bolt traced up across Unit 01's chest, melting through the armor with ease and blowing out chunks of flesh beneath.  Shinji writhed in agony.  The force of the explosion knocked Unit 01 onto its back and knocked the halberd out of its hand.  Unit 02 took a hit directly on the right shoulder, destroying the brace there.  The blast also took a chunk out of the armor and flesh beneath, nearly severing Unit 02's right arm completely.  Inside, Asuka shuddered and reached out to grab her own arm, completely forgetting about the weapon she held in her Eva's left hand, dropping it to the ground.  Unit 00 took the full force of its blast without flinching.  True to Ishiro's predictions, the armor held up and absorbed the energy from bolt.  However, as King Ghidorah's center head moved the beam up, down, and across Unit 00's body, it came to the chink in the armor created by Unit 14's attack.  Energy from the bolt slipped into the wound, exploding and blowing out a chunk of armor from within.  King Ghidorah ignored Unit 14.

            All four of the Evas were tossed like rag dolls as King Ghidorah raced past overhead at easily three times the speed of sound.  The shockwave created by the monster's passing scattered them like bowling pins, as well as leveling an entire stretch of cityscape.  Shrieking and screeching, King Ghidorah pulled up and began to come around for another pass.

            "Is everyone alright!" yelled Misato.

            "I-I think so," said Shinji shakily.

            "Damn," hissed Asuka, "I'm gonna kill that traitorous asshole when we get him out of that cockpit."

            "W-wh-what has happened?" asked Rei, trying to fight away her pain long enough to get Unit 00 on its feet.

            "Unit 00's artificial diamond armor has been breached," reported Maya, "And the attacks are destroying the bond between the diamond and the topmost layer of armor."

            "Shit," growled Asuka, "They just took out our best weapon."

            "Why did Ishiro attack?" Rei wanted to know, "Why did he betray us?"

            "I don't think I'm going to let him live long enough to tell us," said Asuka.

            Units 02 and 01 were getting their feet under them and joining Unit 00 in standing.  Unit 14 however, remained completely motionless, lying where it fell after being hit by Ghidorah's attack.  Looking up, Shinji was the first to spot the golden dragon's next attack.

            "Look out!" he shouted as he sent Unit 01 into a sideways roll, trying to clear the line of fire.  Ghidorah's energy bolts raked the ground where Unit 01 had been standing, blasting craters and trenches into the newly scorched earth.  Unit 00 and Unit 02 also took evasive action.  But King Ghidorah's left head swerved to follow them and launched another bolt.  The blast slammed into Unit 00's head.  Fortunately, the armor there was still intact and it absorbed the attack.

            Unit 00 and 02's evasive tactics failed to get them out of the way of Ghidorah's shockwave attack and they caught the full force again.  Unit 02 was actually picked up by the winds and thrown into one of the few buildings still intact from the last run.  King Ghidorah passed overhead and began to come around yet again.

            "Asuka, you've got less than four and a half minutes of power left, you need to get out of there," ordered Ritsuko.

            Asuka muttered various unmentionables in German.  "Get me an auxiliary cable," she said finally.

            "All the stations in the engagement area have been eradicated," replied Misato, "There are none left that you can get to and still be able to fight."

            "We can hook you up with an auxiliary if you get back down into the holding area.  You can be back in action in about six minutes," added Ritsuko.

            "Alright," said Asuka finally.  Then she shouted over the comm.  "Shinji, Wondergirl, do you think you two can hold down the fort till I get back?"

            "Pilot Ikari and I will hold on until you get back," said Rei, falling back into her usual system of address for the other pilots, "You should bring Unit 14 with you."

            "I'm not doing anything to help that baka," said Asuka coldly, "Not after what he did."

            "Asuka do it," said Misato, "That's an order."

            "Yes.sir," growled Asuka after a second's hesitation.  She guided Unit 02 over to where Unit 14 lay and grabbed the fallen Eva under its arms and hauled it to the nearest elevator.  There, the platform descended with the limp Evangelion on board.

            "My turn now," she said quietly, finding a platform of her own.  Unit 02 also disappeared beneath the street.

            "Shinji, Rei," said Misato, "Find whatever cover you can and sit tight until Asuka gets back.  While you're waiting, try and come up with a strategy to beat that thing."

            "Okay," answered Shinji.

            In the Command Center, Chaos seemed to reign.  "What on Earth happened with Ishiro?" Misato wanted to know.

            "According to the readings we got," said Maya, "Right before he turned on the others, our monitors indicated a third pattern in the matrix."

            "You mean there was something else in there besides the Eva and Ishiro?" Misato inquired.

            "Yes," said Ritsuko, looking the data over, "And from the looks of things, this third pattern synchronized with Ishiro, or rather it forced Ishiro to synchronize with it."

            "So something took control of Pilot Saegusa's mind?" said Fuyutsuki, raising an eyebrow.

            "And then tried to use Ishiro to control Unit 14," commented Maya, "But Unit 14 itself terminated the synchronization almost immediately."

            "But not before it got a good shot off," muttered Ritsuko.

            "The Eva did that," whispered Misato, "Terminated a connection on its own."

            "It's unusual," agreed Ritsuko, "But we've already seen that Unit 14 operates on rules that are somewhat different from the other Evas."

            "Unit 02 has been secured and is ready for the new umbilical cable," reported Maya.

            "Good," said Ritsuko, "Let's get Asuka hooked up and back into action fast."

            "Crap," groaned Shinji as his Eva was pitched about yet again.  King Ghidorah seemed to have given up on using its energy blasts and was now making pass after pass over Units 01 and 02, tossing them about like leaves in a gale and slamming them into any impediments with terrific force.  The monster seemed to be toying with them as a cat might play with a mouse before dealing the mortal blow.

            As Unit 01 was sent sprawling by yet another shockwave, Shinji spotted something nearby, two somethings in fact.  Lying, not too far away were the halberds that he and Asuka had dropped in the first attack.  If he could get one or both of those weapons, he might have a chance of fighting back.

            Instead of trying to get Unit 01 back on its feet, Shinji had the Eva dig its fingers and feet into the ground and hold on with all its strength as King Ghidorah came in for another strike.  He would have a small amount of time once the kaiju was past and turning around.  All he needed to do was stay put, if he could do that much.

            Ghidorah was a golden blur as it passed over him once again.  He could hear a groan from Rei as Unit 00 was thrown again.  The blast pulled at Unit 01 and threatened to uproot the prone Eva and send it flying once again.  But Shinji gritted his teeth and used all his willpower to see that it held on long enough.  Once the shockwave was past, he got Unit 01's feet under it and, without even bothering to stand up all the way, lunged for the two pole arms.

            Doing as he had been trained to do, Shinji dove over the first halberd, grabbing it in one hand and threw Unit 01 into a sideways roll that brought him to within reach of the other weapon, which he promptly grasped.  Looking up, Shinji spotted King Ghidorah coming around for another pass.

            A shriek emanated from the center head, which was shortly followed by echoes from the other two.  King Ghidorah went into another dive.  This time though, it was diving straight for Unit 01 and seemed to have little intention of pulling up for another shockwave attack.  Shinji knew that King Ghidorah had seen him arm himself with the weapons, but he realized that the creature's reaction to Shinji's maneuver seemed wrong.  With the greater reach afforded to him by the long weapons, Shinji could position the halberds so that Ghidorah impaled itself on the blades of the two weapons.

            Nonetheless, King Ghidorah continued its dive.  _Now's the time,_ thought Shinji.  Unit 01 sprang to its feet and raised both of the halberds to meet the incoming dragon.  At the last minute, King Ghidorah flapped its wings and oriented itself into an upright position, like it was about to land.  However, it continued to descend directly towards Unit 01.  Shinji waited, bracing the butts of his weapons into the ground so that Unit 01's arms wouldn't absorb the entirety of the impact.

            An instant before King Ghidorah would have thrown itself onto the halberds, Shinji noticed a flash of gold from behind the creature.  Two long, sinuous tails, ending in spiked clubs lashed out, each striking the halberd on its respective side and knocking them out wide, leaving the path clear for King Ghidorah's many tens of thousands of metric tons to slam into Unit 01.

            King Ghidorah slammed into the Eva feet first, kicking them into Unit 01's chest.  The force of the initial impact was enough to knock Unit 01 over onto the ground, where King Ghidorah's still fat moving body settled its weight upon the Eva in full and forced the Halberds from its grip.  The two of them skidded along the ground, King Ghidorah almost surfing on top of Unit 01.  Inside the cockpit, Shinji screamed as he felt his ribs threatening to break under the pressure as the damage taken by the Eva was transmitted proportionately to the pilot.

            When they finally slid to a stop, King Ghidorah raised its wings and with a mighty flap, lifted off of Unit 01, sending it rolling limply rolling backwards by the resulting gust of wind.  It flew back a short ways and settled onto the rubble strewn ground.

            Rei was shocked by the brutal attack on Unit 01.  "Pilot Ikari?" she asked tentatively, "Shinji, are you alright?"  There was no answer from Unit 01.  Rei feared the worst.  But then she heard a soft groan coming from Shinji.

            "Shit," he hissed, "I'm not sure if I can still move."

            "Remain still Pilot Ikari," said Rei, falling back into her old personality slightly, "I will fight the kaiju."  Not even her intense emotional training could stop her from flinching when King Ghidorah turned, albeit clumsily, to face her, giving Rei a view of the golden hydra in all its evil splendor.

            It stood half again as tall as Godzilla had.  Each of the dragon's three heads writhed about in a seemingly random fashion, though Rei had been able to observe that they acted in concert when launching barrages of energy blasts.  In its six eyes, Rei could see an eerie intelligence that seemed at once bestial and superhuman.  From here, she could see the ridge of triangular scales that ran down the back of each neck.  The kaiju's entire body was covered in overlapping, gold scales.  It rested its weight on its two trunk-like legs, ending in four toed feet.  Behind, Rei saw Ghidorah's two tails, twitching and swinging about.  After what King Ghidorah had done to Unit 01, she now had a much better idea how powerful those unobtrusive appendages could be.  Finally, two great membranous wings, much like those of a bat, extended out from either side of the monster.  The tops of those wings represented the creature's highest point.

            Unit 00 was completely unarmed, save for its plasma cannon, which was all but useless with the Eva's artificial diamond armor breached and no power drawn from King Ghidorah's previous attacks.  Ishiro's treachery might have been brief, but it was enough to completely break their defense.  In the back of her mind, Rei Ayanami was trying to figure out why Ishiro would betray them in such a terrible fashion.  This was a thousand times worse than his deception with regard to Lilith.  But the damage had been done.  Already, the majority of Tokyo 3 had been reduced to rubble by the sheer power of King Ghidorah.  That left Rei with only one last weapon, her Eva's body.

            She realized that she would need every ounce of her strength, cunning and will in order to even survive against this monster.  As King Ghidorah began his lumbering charge, she braced herself to meet the attack head on.

            "Unit 14 has been secured," said Maya.

            "Alright, are the men in place?" asked Misato.

            "They are."  Once Unit 14 was on its way down from the surface, Misato had ordered a full contingent of Section 2's security into its holding cage in order to arrest Ishiro.  She hated the thought of doing this, having come to like the 6th Child in the time she had known him.  But it was necessary, considering the magnitude of Ishiro's betrayal.

            "Ishiro," whispered Misato, "How could you?"

            The entry plug was extracted from its socket at the base of Unit 14's neck.  As the crane transported it to the walkway, dozens of men, fully armed and ready, waited there to greet the pilot when he emerged.  As the hatch was removed, Ishiro stepped out of the entry plug.  The men nearest to him backed away, their eyes wide in surprise.  Ishiro's eyes were blank and glazed over, the eyes of a dead man.  He moved and seemed to act normally.  However, those eyes told a very different story.

            The captain of the security detail stepped forward.  "Ishiro Saegusa, you are under arr."  The man never got a chance to finish his sentence.  His head exploded in a crimson shower, flecked with bits of white and gray, as the man next him pulled the trigger of the rifle he had planted against his commander's head.  Several other men trained their weapons on the new traitor, only to be cut down from behind by even more who were falling under Ishiro's control.  His influence spread through the ranks like wildfire.  Some men were strong enough to fight it off.  But they were killed almost immediately by their comrades who had not been able to resist.  Screams and yells filled the holding cage as skirmishes broke out across the structure.  Ishiro strode through, the calm center of it all.  Bullets that came near to him seemed to swerve away on a different course as they did so.  He didn't seem to care whether those deflected shots hit the resistance or his newfound allies.

            When he came to the door, the air in front of Ishiro rippled.  A loud thundering sound resounded throughout the cavernous hangar.  A small section of the door imploded, as if it was the impact point of a piece of light artillery.  One by one, more dents appeared in the door, until it was finally ripped away from the wall by the force of the last impact.  Ishiro then strode along the walkway that ran around the circumference of the chamber.  Behind him, dozens of soldiers spilled out onto the walkway, following him around.  When he got to the exit, Ishiro opened the door in a similar fashion, making clear the way into NERV headquarters.

            "What the hell is going on?" demanded Misato as even more alarms sounded throughout the Command Center.

            "Gunfire has broken out in Unit 14's holding cage," said Maya, "We're getting visual now."

            The images of the battle up on the main screen became smaller, sharing space with the new feed from the holding cage.  The scene was one of total chaos.  Everywhere, men from Section 2 exchanged fire with one another.  Ishiro walked among them, completely immune to any bullets that were sent his way.  Misato watched in shock and amazement as he smashed down the door out of the holding cage and made his way into the main complex.  Several men followed their weapons at ready.

            "How could this have happened?" groaned Ritsuko, "First Ishiro betrays us.  Then he begins a hostile takeover of NERV HQ.  What is happening?"

            "Wait a minute!" exclaimed Misato, "When Unit 14 was on the way down; you mentioned that there had been three patterns in the matrix, right?"

            "Yes," replied Ritsuko, then the answer hit her, "Whatever was responsible for that must be controlling Ishiro now!"

            "But what is it?" asked Makoto, "What, or who is controlling him?"

            Behind them, Fuyutsuki pondered the question silently.  _Could it be.SEELE?_

            "Didn't he mention that he made mental contact with King Ghidorah while the monster was till en route to Earth?" asked Maya.

            "Yes," agreed Ritsuko, "He also said that his contact instigated a mental counterattack so powerful that it was felt by the entire city."

            "So the one who is controlling Ishiro." said Misato, "Is King Ghidorah."

            "That's exactly it," said Ritsuko.

            "Unit 02 is ready for launch," reported Maya very suddenly.

            "Let me speak to Asuka first," ordered Misato.

            "What is it?" demanded Asuka as her comm. came on line.

            "Listen Asuka," said Misato, "We've finally figured out what's happening with Ishiro."

            "The little bastard betrayed us," snapped Asuka, "Plain and simple."

            "That's not it," said Misato, "Ishiro is being controlled by King Ghidorah."

            "What.How?"  Asuka was now very confused.

            "No time to explain the fine details.  King Ghidorah didn't just cause Ishiro to attack you.  Now it's making Ishiro lead a hostile takeover of NERV.  You need to kill King Ghidorah ASAP."

            "Understood," said Asuka, "I'll make that monster whish it had never come into our solar system."

            "We're sending a rifle with you.  Good luck," said Misato, "Eva launch!"

            "Unit 01 is down," yelled Makoto.

            "No," hissed Misato, "Shinji!"

            Unit 00's feet dug trough's in the earth as King Ghidorah slammed its full weight against the Eva.  In a contest of strength, the kaiju would undoubtedly win by virtue of sheer mass.  However, Rei didn't intend to make this a battle of brute force.

            Recognizing the creature's ineptitude while land bound, she came up with a strategy to turn the monster's own strength against it.  As King Ghidorah forced itself against Unit 00 harder than ever, Rei quickly made the Eva sidestep.  Lashing out with its left leg, Unit 00 neatly tripped King Ghidorah as it dodged around to one side.  As Ghidorah went down, Rei couldn't avoid being buffeted by the monster's enormous wing.  Fortunately, it wasn't much of a hindrance to her plan.  She stepped away and began to initiate the second phase of her strategy.

            Ghidorah's left tail came whipping about, seeking to slam the Evangelion with its spiked tip.  Rei dodged the attack and grabbed the tail, just below the spiked club that made up its end.  The second one came in fast.  Rei repeated the maneuver and now had the monster by both its tails.

            Tucking the writhing limbs under Unit 00's left arm, Rei reached under with her right arm and effectively trapped both of them.  Then, using all of Unit 00's strength, Rei pulled.

            It was no easy task.  King Ghidorah was one heavy monster.  However, Unit 00's strength was up to the task.  With a mighty heave, King Ghidorah left the ground, but not in flight.  Rei flipped the kaiju over Unit 00's shoulder, slamming the dragon into the ground behind her.  The creature landed on its back, all three heads wailing in pain.  As she turned around to repeat the maneuver, Rei realized the hole in her strategy.  By flipping King Ghidorah onto its back, she left herself open to attack from its energy beams.  Three of them stabbed into Unit 00, ripping apart a good amount of the armor that still remained and forcing the Eva to relinquish its hold of the monster's tails as it was knocked backwards by the force of the attack.

            King Ghidorah flapped its wings once and rode the updraft in order to right itself.  It now loomed over the fallen Unit 00.  Its eyes shining with malevolence, King Ghidorah planted one foot on Unit 00's exposed backside.  The second foot soon followed, depositing King Ghidorah's full weight on Unit 00.  The kaiju crouched slightly, and then flapped its wings, ascending upwards several dozen meters.  Then, it came back down, smashing its feet into Unit 00's back.

            Rei gritted her teeth to keep from screaming in pain as the monster came crashing down on her again.  By now, Unit 00 was sinking into the ground somewhat from the tremendous weight that settled on it every few seconds.  Rei's mind was racing, trying to find a way out of her dilemma before King Ghidorah crushed Unit 00 and her with it.

            Shinji concentrated with all his might.  He had blacked out for a short time when King Ghidorah landed on top of him.  That also broke the nerve connections between Shinji and Unit 01.  That meant he would have to resynchronize in order to get Unit 01 to as much as twitch.  Unfortunately, synchronization took time, time Rei didn't have.

            "Hold on Rei!" he shouted as the connections came back online.

            "No need for that," Asuka's triumphant voice cut in.

            Explosive rounds detonated against King Ghidorah's back.  Looking over, Shinji could see Unit 02, holding a rifle and firing for all it was worth.  Within seconds, King Ghidorah's form was obscured in dense smoke.

            "Let's see how he likes that," said Asuka confidently.

            The smoke cleared to reveal that the mighty golden dragon remained completely unscathed.  "I didn't even scratch it!" exclaimed Asuka.

            "But how?" Shinji wanted to know.

            In the meantime, King Ghidorah remained motionless, standing on top of Unit 00.  Its two outside heads twisted around on their serpentine necks to regard Unit 02.  Both sets of eyes seemed to look on with something resembling contempt for the pitiful giant of metal and flesh that was the Evangelion.  Then, with a challenging and almost condescending cackling sound, the beast turned and stepped off the prone form of Unit 00.

            "At least I got its attention," Asuka muttered.

            "Rei!" shouted Shinji frantically, "Are you okay over there?  Rei, answer me!"

            "I.cannot.move," said Rei brokenly.  As if to emphasize her point, Unit 00's entire body creaked with protest as one of its shoulders twitched slightly.  This got the attention of King Ghidorah's left head.  Shinji was about to leap forward to get its attention back when the left mouth opened and a bolt of energy erupted from it, striking the already badly damaged Unit 00 in the small of the back.  The blast blew a sizable chunk of flesh and armor into the air, followed by a stream of blood.

            "Shinji," said Asuka as calmly as she could, "I'll get Ghidorah's attention.  You go check up on Rei."

            "Alright," agreed Shinji.

            Asuka began firing again.  This time, she aimed right for the eyes of the center head.  As the rounds exploded against that head, a cloud of smoke enveloped the other two.  Once all three heads were thoroughly enshrouded with smoke, Shinji made Unit 01 sprint towards Unit 00.

            Unit 00 looked to be in even worse shape close up.  From his new position, Shinji could see that the artificial diamond armor was badly cracked and the titanium steel alloy beneath it was completely misshapen from repeated impacts.

            "I don't think you're going anywhere anytime soon Rei," said Shinji after a moment, "Unit 00 is completely totaled."

            "Then leave me," replied Rei, "Pilot Sohryu needs your assistance."

            "Not while you're still in danger," Shinji shot back, "I need to get you to safety first."

            "Very well then," said Rei, "But the main hatch has jammed.  I will need help in order to eject the entry plug."

            "No problem," said Shinji.  With that, he reached down with Unit 01's hand and ripped off the armor that protected the entry plug.  A second later, the plug itself shot out partway.  Closing a massive hand gently around the plug, Shinji pulled it free from Unit 00's neck.  Cradling Rei's entry plug as carefully as he could in Unit 00's arms, Shinji began to move away from the combat zone.

            Meanwhile, Asuka had finally run out of rounds.  "I still haven't made a dent," she observed as the smoke cleared to reveal the three unblemished heads of the massive kaiju.  "How can it soak up so much damage?" she asked.

            "I think I've finally found the answer," she heard Makoto say.

            "What is it?" Misato wanted to know.

            "Our sensors are detecting a shape conforming AT field flush with the monster's skin.  It's completely seamless."

            "That's just great," whined Asuka, "How am I ever going to get through that?"

            "You'll think of something," replied Misato.

            "And you'd better think fast," added Ritsuko.

            Asuka didn't need to ask why.  She threw Unit 02 to the side as a bolt of energy stabbed her way.  She could see all three heads firing, but only the center one seemed to be tracking her.  The two outside heads shot their bolts out to the side, moving in seemingly random cover.  It wasn't until she had succeeded in dodging the first of the blasts that Asuka realized what the beast had done.

            There wasn't a single building around.  King Ghidorah had annihilated any cover she might have been able to use.  _So the thing is pretty in intelligent,_ she thought wryly as the monster leveled all three of its heads at her and fired.

            "What's Ishiro's status?" asked Misato.

            "Right now we've managed to contain the attack in the area directly around Unit 14's holding cage," replied Shigure, "But whatever it is that Ishiro does to those doors always works in the end.  Fortunately, we are able to slow him down considerably."

            "Anything new with King Ghidorah?" Misato asked next.

            "Well," said Ritsuko, "Our sensors have also detected a gravitational anomaly in all three of King Ghidorah's mouths."

            "And that means."

            Ritsuko took a deep breath.  "We think that an organ in Ghidorah's mouth produces a powerful gravitational field that can create a short lived fusion reaction in his mouth.  By focusing the AT field in said mouth, King Ghidorah can then focus the energy of that reaction in the direction of its chosen target."

            "We've termed it the gravity beam," added Makoto.

            "Why aren't the Evas AT fields working?" Misato demanded.

            "Oh they're working alright," replied Ritsuko, "But Ghidorah's gravity beams are blasting through them like they're made of tissue paper."

            "We'll," said Misato, "We've got to find away around those gravity beams and quickly."  As she said this, three gravity beams collided simultaneously with Unit 02's chest, sending the Eva flying in one direction, blood, guts and armor in the other.

            Unit 02 slid to a stop after being blasted onto its back.  Slowly, wincing in pain as she did so, Asuka willed the Eva to sit up.  Blood oozed from the dozens of wounds that dotted Unit 02's body.  Asuka was in a great deal of pain herself; not just from shared pain from the wounds that Unit 02 suffered, but also the aches that came from being banged around in the entry plug too much.

            "Damn," she hissed, "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up."  King Ghidorah loomed over her like the specter of death itself.  The left head twisted slightly and fired at the ground to Asuka's right.  She was baffled as to the purpose of this attack, until she noticed the lights in the cockpit dim and the counter appeared, signifying that she now only had five minutes of power left.

            Now Asuka could feel fear creeping into the back of her mind.  There was no way she could hope to hold out against a foe that was so powerful and intelligent.  No weapon her Eva could wield could possibly penetrate that AT field.

            Unarmed and running on borrowed time, Asuka needed to figure out how to defeat this monster quickly.  But she was almost out of options.  _Perhaps it's time to make a tactical retreat,_ she thought grimly.

            Unit 02 was just beginning to get to its feet when King Ghidorah spread its wings and flapped them once.  The hurricane-force gust of wind that slammed into Unit 02 was powerful enough to knock the crimson titan back to the ground.  Asuka gritted her teeth and tried again.  This time, she kept her center of gravity low and dug in while still crouched.  Just as she expected, King Ghidorah flapped its wings again and sent another powerful gust her way.  This time, her preparations paid off and Unit 02 was able to regain its feet.

            .Just in time to catch another burst of gravity beams from King Ghidorah's right and center heads.  Asuka grunted and focused all her strength towards keeping Unit 02 from falling back over.  She was almost out of time.  Her own strength was badly depleted and she was in a good deal of pain.  With all that she had left, Asuka made her last assault.  Drawing Unit 02's progressive knife, Asuka lunged forward and plunged the knife towards the base of King Ghidorah's center neck.  The blade snapped against the invisible AT field that lay over the monster's scales.

            Before she could do anything else, all three of King Ghidorah's heads struck, snake-like.  The left head clamped its tooth-lined mouth over the wrist of her right arm.  Reflexively, Asuka released the handle of her progressive knife, letting it fall to the ground.  The dragon's left head bit into Unit 02's left shoulder brace, crushing it with ease.  Finally, the center head looped itself around Unit 02's neck like a giant python.  As the other two heads released, the powerful neck began to tighten its grip, lifting Unit 02 clear of the ground.  Asuka feebly pounded on King Ghidorah's impenetrable hide as she felt her own throat closing under the pressure.__

            Yet another door gave way before the unrelenting telekinetic assault of Ishiro Saegusa as he and his contingent of mind-controlled soldiers made their way deeper into Central Dogma.  They encountered resistance, most of it in the form of very heavily reinforced doors that dropped down into their path.  However, it took Ishiro very little time to smash through them.  His goal was drawing ever nearer and nearer.

            As he stepped over the ruins of the latest door he smashed, Ishiro noticed a strange mote of golden light filter down from the ceiling.  The light circled around his head a couple of times, leaving a trail of sparkles behind it.  Ishiro's eyes followed the light's every move as it wove in and out of the men assembled behind him.  Most of them simply stared dumbly at it, not having any idea what to do.  The light soon swerved back and flew in front of Ishiro and touched down on the floor at his feet.  There, the light faded to reveal two tiny women, no more than half a foot tall each.

            They looked at Ishiro with expressions that seemed to mingle between pity and disappointment.  Then, as Ishiro was about to attack, they clasped their hands together and began to sing.  The haunting melody seemed to carry through the entirety of Central Dogma, resonate through the geofront, echo through the civilian shelters and fill the air of Tokyo 3.

            As their song continued, the twin fairies' bodies began to shine with brilliant golden light.  Ishiro and those with him stepped back as that light filled the corridor and engulfed them all.

            Silence had fallen in the Command Center.  No sound was uttered and nothing was heard, save the voices of two tiny women as they sang a song that seemed to entrance all who heard it.  Misato felt tears beginning to run down her face.  Never had she heard something so beautiful, so pure.  It plucked a chord in her heart that she never realized she had, sending waves of hope washing across her being.

            Asuka couldn't breathe anymore.  King Ghidorah's stranglehold had tightened to the point where her throat was completely closed.  And yet, she felt strangely at peace.  The song that she now heard seemed to sustain her in and of itself.  Accompanying it was a comforting feeling of pure bliss that made the redhead forget, if for only a moment, her pain.  She could swear that she had felt this somewhere before, but she couldn't place it.  As it was, Asuka was barely aware as the timer ran down to zero and Unit 02's power disappeared, freeing her from her connection with the Evangelion.  With a relieved sigh, Asuka slumped into her seat and let the darkness claim her.

            Shinji was filled with a similar euphoria as he too listened to the song.  However, this didn't keep him from the task at hand, making sure that Rei was safe.  Carefully, he set the entry plug down on the ground.  From where he was, Shinji could see the LCL discharge from said plug and the emergency hatch open.  A moment later, Rei dragged herself out of the cockpit and lowered herself to the ground.  She slumped weakly against the cold steel of the entry plug, offering Shinji a reassuring wave as she focused on the music that filled the air.

            The song pulled at Rei's soul like nothing else ever had.  Never in her life had she felt or heard anything like it.  The song's sweet melody filled her body, cleansing it.  Rei began to realize that it was washing away the last walls that kept her humanity so contained.  _I've never felt so alive,_ she thought, tears running freely down her face.

            Ishiro finally felt his senses returned.  _What happened?_ he thought groggily.  Looking around, he jumped in surprise.  _Where am I?_ he thought frantically, _The last thing I remember was being in Unit 14's entry plug.  This looks like Central Dogma to me._  Then, Ishiro noticed that he was not alone either.  There were several men from Section 2 standing behind him, all of them armed and with weapons drawn.  However, they seemed just as confused as he was.

            Looking down, Ishiro blinked in surprise.  The Cosmos stood on the floor of the hallway.  "What's going on?" he asked.

            "You were being manipulated by King Ghidorah," they said in unison.

            "I WAS WHAT!?" exclaimed Ishiro.

            "When you reached out to King Ghidorah when he was en-route to Earth, he planted a seed inside your mind that he used to control you when he arrived," said Mona.

            "Then, by enhancing your psychic abilities, he made you take control of all the men you see here," added Lora.

            "I was being controlled by a glorified sci-fi film reject!" growled Ishiro.  He couldn't believe it.  He, he of all people had fallen victim to the psychic abilities of another.

            _How could I have not known it?_ Ishiro mentally berated himself, _I should have known what that headache was._

            "Where is that gold-plated, three-headed, sorry excuse of a space monster?" he demanded, "I'm going to tear that freak into so many peaces that they won't be able to find them with a microscope."

            "Patience, my friend" chided Mona, "You should go first to explain your situation to those above you.  One of your friends is in dire straights."

            Ishiro was about to protest when a powerful headache seized him.  Groaning, he sagged down to the floor, nearly losing consciousness partway down.  "It appears," said Lora, "That King Ghidorah didn't actually enhance your powers, but rather made you forget your own limits.  You have greatly exceeded your normal mental capacity and your powers have been overused.  I doubt that you will be able to use them again for a long time to come."

            "Without my powers," hissed Ishiro through clenched teeth, "I can't control Unit 14."

            "It is your psychic abilities that facilitate that bond," agreed Mona.

            "I suppose that I'll have to go to the Command Center now," said Ishiro.

            "Wait a minute," barked one of the men behind him, "We have orders to arrest you for violations of NERV authority."  He paused for a moment as he listened to something coming over his headset.  He blinked and looked down at Ishiro.  "Never mind," he said, "I've just gotten an order canceling the previous order.  You are to proceed to the Command Center with all haste."

            "I'll haste as best I can," grumbled Ishiro.  With that, he stood up and began to stagger off down the hall, using the wall for support.  "Are you two coming." he asked, looking down at where the Cosmos were.  ".with me?" he finished as he realized that they had vanished completely.  "Great," he muttered.  He recommenced his journey to the Command Center.

            Shinji returned to the battlefield to find Unit 02 in dire straights.  King Ghidorah's center head was crushing the red Eva's neck, threatening to break it and the entry plug within.  Looking around frantically, Shinji tried to find something, anything that he could use as a weapon.  It took him a moment to locate one of the two halberds that he had dropped earlier.  As he set Unit 01 off at a run for the first one, twin gravity beams slammed into his Eva.  The force of the impact knocked Unit 01 off its feet and onto the ground.  Looking up, Shinji saw that while Ghidorah's center head was occupied, its two outside ones were not.  Another burst from the monster's right head forced him to roll away, directly into a gravity beam from the left head.

            Shinji could see the armor around Unit 02's neck beginning to buckle.  It was only a matter of time before it gave way completely.  "Asuka NO!" he screamed.  He was thrown by two more blasts from King Ghidorah.  Shinji was certain that Asuka was a goner.

            Suddenly, twin beams of violet energy smashed into King Ghidorah's backside.  All three heads shrieked with pain, the middle one losing its grip on Unit 02, letting the Eva sag limply to the ground.

            A bird-like shriek rent the air.  Soaring overhead, the dark, armored moth that was Battra circled the battlefield like a bird of prey.  His appearance caught the attention of all three of Ghidorah's heads.  With another scream, Battra fired another set of prism beams, raking them across the dragon's torso.  These beams caused no visible damage, but it was quite clear that they still caused King Ghidorah a considerable amount of pain.  Three tooth-lined maws fired gravity beams in retaliation, but the nimble Battra avoided them with ease.

            Ghidorah cackled and spread its wings, taking to the sky in pursuit of its elusive foe.  There, in its natural element, King Ghidorah became a much more formidable adversary than on the ground.  Its tremendous wings propelled it at speeds that rivaled Battra's own, while their outward spread granted the enormous monster, something nearly three times Battra's size, allowed it to move with all the grace of its smaller, lighter foe.

            King Ghidorah trailed behind Battra, gravity beams erupting from all three heads.  Nimble, Battra wheeled and rolled as best he could, attempting to dodge the lightning fast attacks.  Sadly, he was unable to avoid them all and more than one bolt raked across his lightly armored hide.  Battra put on a sudden burst of speed.  Then he arrested his flight and turned around on the spot, coming face to face with King Ghidorah.  Without hesitation, the Dark Guardian charged down the King of Terror, firing beams of his own.

            The two of them collided, King Ghidorah's greater mass overpowering Battra, but Battra's razor-edged armor tore gashes in the almost impenetrable hide of Ghidorah.  They parted, flying in separate directions.  Battra, having less inertia than King Ghidorah, turned around much more quickly.  He then settled onto the dragon's tail, firing his beams again and again.  By virtue of being a much larger target, King Ghidorah was almost completely unable to avoid the attacks thrown its way.  However, its more powerful defenses more than made up for that shortcoming.  Battra's prism beams did relatively little damage.  The two monsters fought with alarming ferocity, lighting up the skies with their power and filling the air with their shrieks and screams.

            When Ishiro finally reached the Command Center, he was surprised by what he saw.  "Is that Battra?" he asked.

            "That's correct," replied Ritsuko, "He arrived only recently and saved Unit 02 from being destroyed by King Ghidorah."

            "That's good," muttered Ishiro.

            "Ishiro," said Misato, approaching, "Who were those two women and what did they do?"

            "Those two are the Cosmos, the twin fairies of Mothra," answered Ishiro, "I suppose you could call them her avatars."

            "You mean this Mothra is a deity?" commented Ritsuko skeptically.

            "Some see her in that light," said Ishiro, "Mothra is actually another kaiju."

            "You're kidding!" exclaimed Misato, "A kaiju works with tiny people like those."

            Behind them, Fuyutsuki cleared his throat.  "Another time," he said, "Right now, we have more important issues at hand."

            "I'm afraid I can't do you much good," said Ishiro, "Thanks to King Ghidorah, I overextended my psychic abilities, which are what allow me to pilot Unit 14.  Without them, I'm next to useless."  He grimaced.

            "That's not true," said Misato firmly, "You're still our top kaijuologist, remember?"

            "Well then," said Ishiro grimly, "What do you want me to do?"

            "Can you maybe identify a weak spot on King Ghidorah?" asked Ritsuko, "It has been to Earth before and it was driven off then.  Maybe if we find that weak point, we can defeat him now."

            "I don't know," said Ishiro in reply, "When King Ghidorah was here last, it was driven off by Godzilla.  Unless he shows up again, I'm afraid we won't have any means of defeating Ghidorah.  I'm afraid it's hopeless."

            The next thing Ishiro knew, he was trying to get up from the floor after taking a devastating slap from Misato.  The death glare she threw Ishiro's way froze his blood.  The anger in her eyes was quite clear.  "How dare you give up!" she hissed with alarming ferocity, "Shinji, Asuka, and Rei have been out there risking their lives, fighting even though their advantages were taken away, thanks to you."  Ishiro hung his head.  "If you can't fight," Misato continued, "Then the least you can do is help your friends to find some kind of leverage against this kaiju.  You owe them that much."

            "You're right," Ishiro sighed, getting to his feet.  He turned to Makoto.  "I need every still image of King Ghidorah that you've taken since this battle's started.  I don't want any computer generated renditions, only actually video stills and photographs."

            "I'm on it," replied Makoto, "May I ask why."

            "Those photos'll show me all the details of King Ghidorah.  If I look close enough, I may be able to find something," replied Ishiro, "You can't exactly get that with a computer graphic."  He went to an open terminal where he could view the images that were sent to him.  "I'll let you know when I find something."

            Battra and King Ghidorah continued their battle in the sky.  Neither monster showed any real signs of weakening, though Battra's armor was scratched and pitted and King Ghidorah's scales had taken on a tarnished look after being scorched several times by the black moth's prism beams.

            Battra was currently in the pursuit position behind and above King Ghidorah.  The dragon kaiju's two outside heads turned and tried to hit its tormentor with more gravity beams.  However, it was an awkward position, even for the sinuous necks, so most of the attacks missed.  Battra put on a sudden spurt of acceleration, overtaking Ghidorah and settling onto the monster's broad back.  There, his claws pierced Ghidorah's AT field and ripped into the scales beneath.  Battra's claws tore at King Ghidorah's flesh, sometimes hooking it on barbs and ridges in his armor to further shred it.  King Ghidorah howled in agony.  But it was far from finished.  In the blink of an eye, both tails came whirling around a smashed against Battra's back.  The twin appendages clubbed at the ebony beast until it was finally forced to let go.

            Even as he fell away, Battra unleashed the full force of his prism beams on Ghidorah's right wing.  The blasts not only broke through the AT field, but opened a tremendous tear in the membrane of the wing as well.  With a pained shriek, King Ghidorah began to lose altitude.  Battra turned his head and gave the other wing similar treatment, speeding King Ghidorah's fall.

            Even as it fell, King Ghidorah's right head twisted around and fired a gravity beam.  The beam hit Battra right between his glowing red eyes, cracking his armor and sending the gigantic moth reeling away in pain.  Ghidorah hit the ground hard, but managed to get back to its feet.  There, it turned the attention of all three of its heads to the still reeling Battra.  The combined destructive force that they unleashed nearly killed him, but Battra managed to escape, barely able to fly out of the line of fire.

            Satisfied that is airborne foe was dispatched, King Ghidorah turned the last remaining foe.  Unit 01 had regained its feet during the prolonged battle between the dragon and Battra.  The violet armored Eva stood motionless, facing the golden-scaled terror from the stars.  Something about the mysterious entity confused Ghidorah somewhat.  Despite the intense damage it had taken, the Evangelion seemed more than ready to attack once again.  The dragon was even more surprised when the Eva opened its mouth and let out a horrific roar.  The Eva's next action was to throw itself at the dragon with terrifying abandon.

            "Unit 01 has gone berserk," announced Maya.

            "How's Shinji?" asked Misato.

            "How should we know," snapped Makoto, "You know that every time Unit 01 goes berserk we lose contact with the pilot.  There's now way of ascertaining Shinji's condition while it's like this."

            "Eureka!" shouted Ishiro from where he had been analyzing the images of King Ghidorah.

            "Have you found something?" asked Ritsuko.

            "I think I've found the answer to all our problems," replied Ishiro.  He typed a few commands on his console.  An image of King Ghidorah appeared on the large screen hovering over the Command Center.

            "I was thinking about what my mother told me had happened when King Ghidorah came to Earth the last time.  She told me that in its battle with Godzilla, Ghidorah had taken a good deal of damage near the base of its central neck.  In fact, she told me that Godzilla nearly blew the middle head clean off.  It was after that close call that Ghidorah retreated back into space."  He tapped a few keys.  The camera zoomed in until King Ghidorah's center neck filled the screen.

            "I do see an abnormality in the scales in a line near the base," observed Ritsuko, "The scales of that section are all much smaller than the others, like they're underdeveloped."

            "That's because those scales have only recently grown in to cover the wound Godzilla opened in King Ghidorah's neck.  Because they are considerably newer than all the other scales on his body, it makes sense that they would be much smaller.  That also means that they aren't as hard or strong as the fully developed scales."  Ishiro smiled eagerly, "If we can pierce King Ghidorah's AT field in that particular spot, any weapon an Eva employs will have no trouble punching through the scales."

            "There are several problems with this though," commented Misato, "First, we don't have any way to penetrate the AT field right now.  And second, our last standing Eva, Unit 01, has gone berserk, which means we've lost all control over the situation."

            "What about Unit 02?" asked Ishiro.

            "Unit 02's emergency battery power has been exhausted and the pilot is currently unconscious," answered Maya.

            "Damn," hissed Ishiro, "Now what?"

            Then, he began to hear it very faintly.  The sound seemed to emanate from the very cold steel walls of the Command Center itself.  Someone was singing, two someones in fact.  _The Cosmos,_ he realized almost instantly.  However, this was much different from the song they had used to free him from Ghidorah's control.  Their new song was powerful and filled him with a strength that he couldn't even begin to describe.  _What are they up to?_ he wondered.

            "Asuka."  The voice filled Asuka's ears and mind.  It was vaguely familiar to her as she had heard it before.  "Asuka, wake up."  Asuka's eyes began to slowly, painfully force their way open.  When they did, the darkness fell away from the girl's vision almost immediately.

            "W-who's there?" she asked groggily.  The pain she was feeling across her body was slowly subsiding.  For some reason, Asuka was feeling refreshed.

            "Asuka," said the voice, "Do you remember me?"

            Asuka looked up and saw the face of the woman who had appeared to her in her dreams.  Or at least, that was how she looked briefly.  For the image of said woman was quickly replaced by the image of something very different.  A gigantic moth filled Asuka's vision.  The moth's multifaceted eyes glimmered with intelligence, wisdom, and kindness.  Her body and wings were a collage of brilliant colors.  Asuka felt a powerful warmth fill her heart.  "So," she said in almost a whisper, "This is what you really look like."

            The moth's mandibles opened and a keening sound emerged.  In her mind, Asuka heard the creature's statement as if she had been speaking out loud.  _I am Mothra, the guardian of humanity._

            "The guardian." repeated Asuka, "Of humanity?"

            _Long ago, I was born to save mankind from the evils of this world and of themselves.  However, my tasks have taken their toll and my strength has waned.  I no longer have the strength to fight battles myself.  I need someone who will carry a part of me inside her; someone who will continue my work until I am reborn._  Mothra's antennae waved slowly.  _Asuka Langely Sohryu, would you be willing to bear this burden.  This is the task that, should you accept, you have been chosen for._

            "Why me?" demanded Asuka, "Why not someone else, like Rei or Misato?"

            _My rebirth will take time,_ answered Mothra almost immediately, _So__ the one who bears that part of me must have time as well and therefore must be a child.  Women, naturally much more sensitive than men, are the only people who have the receptiveness to receive and carry that part of me within them.  And you, a great void exists in you heart of hearts.  This emptiness demands to be filled.  So in essence, even as you complete my task, I will complete you._

            "That doesn't really make sense," commented Asuka.

            _It will, in time._  Though Mothra's face was incapable of holding any kind of humanly recognizable expression, Asuka could tell that she was smiling.

            "But what good will it do?" Asuka wanted to know, "We're all about to die anyway and so what good does it do you to give me part of your power now?"

            _Accept and you shall see,_ answered Mothra.

            "And if I don't accept?" retorted Asuka.

            _Then there is nothing I can do for you.  My strength is all but gone, save that small part which I would impart to you.  If you do not accept me, then there is nothing I can do to save you.  My power must live on.  Even though that means that many will die, it could mean the difference between life and death for all humanity if I do not preserve it in some way._

            "Hmph," Asuka snorted, "Look's like I don't get much of a choice either way."

            _Regardless, the decision is yours to make._  Mothra waited patiently, as if time had stopped for her, for Asuka's answer.

            Asuka thought it over.  _Shinji, Hikari, Misato; all the people I care about could die today if I don't do something.  How can I condemn them all to death without at least trying something?_  She looked deep into Mothra's eyes.  "I accept."

            _Very well,_ came the reply, _I name you my chosen.  You now carry part of me within you.  In times of danger and trouble, it is up to you to answer those who are in need of salvation.  This is how it shall be until the time of my rebirth._  Mothra's body began to glow, filling the space around her with a warm, golden glow.  Asuka felt some sort of power seeping into her body, filling her with strength.

            "Alright," she muttered, "Let's do this."

            Abruptly, the light vanished and the darkened interior of Unit 02's entry plug took its place.  Outside, Asuka could hear the sounds of pitched battle.  "Time to fight," she hissed through clenched teeth.

            The walls of the entry plug began to glow the same golden color Mothra had earlier.  Asuka could feel herself falling back into synch with the red Eva.  She felt power returning to all of its systems.  Her ears filled with the mysterious song of the Cosmos.  With but a thought, the scarlet behemoth surged to its feet without hesitation.  The image of the outside world appeared in front of her.  Now that she could see again, Asuka noticed how dire the situation had become.  Unit 01 was weather blast after blast from King Ghidorah as the Evangelion clawed at the kaiju with its bear hands.  From the roars that escaped from Unit 01, Asuka realized that it must have gone berserk.

            "Let's go," she mumbled to herself.

            "Unit 02 has come back online!" exclaimed Maya.

            "Impossible," yelped Ritsuko, "Unit 02's battery power is gone, how can it be back online."

            "I don't know," answered Maya, "But it seems that Asuka has managed to reactivate it.  And what's more, her synch readings are off the charts.  I didn't know a pilot could even go that high."

            Misato stared dumbly at the screen.  The cityscape of Tokyo 3 was suddenly lit up as bright as day.  Unit 02 had begun to glow with such brilliance that it was as if a miniature star had settled among the rubble and shattered towers.  Misato didn't have time to wonder what was going on as Ishiro shoved her to the side.  "Asuka!" he yelled into the comm. "Attack the base of the central neck NOW!  Go for the center!"

            Asuka flinched as she heard Ishiro's voice come over the comm.  _Attack with what?_ she wondered.

            Looking around, Asuka spotted the perfect weapon.  It was one of the dropped halberds.  Picking it up, Asuka finally realized that her Eva was glowing.  As its hand closed around the halberd, the weapon began to glow as well.

            Turning around, Asuka came face to face with King Ghidorah.  Without hesitation, she began to charge the monster down.  Ghidorah latched a mouth onto Unit 01 and tossed the berserk Eva aside so that it could have a clear line of attack to Unit 02.  Unit 02's glow intensified and the tip of its halberd threw of streams of light, making the whole Eva resemble a comet as it rushed at the golden dragon.

            All three of King Ghidorah's moths unleashed their gravity beams.  The beams slammed into Unit 02; however, they didn't slow down the rampaging Eva in the least.  "Die!" screamed Asuka as she plunged the shining point of her halberd into the base of King Ghidorah's central neck, right where a line of slightly smaller scales indicated that the beast had been struck there once already.

            Ghidorah's middle head uttered a final scream, before it and its neck were detached completely.  A spout of golden blood erupted from the wound that Asuka created.  The severed head fell to the ground where it writhed for a few short seconds before going completely limp.

            Ghidorah's last two heads writhed and shrieked in agony over the loss of their central head.  Then, to the surprise of everyone watching, the monster spread its tattered wings and took to the air.  Its course was taking it slowly out to sea, wailing the entire way.

            "Oh no you don't!" yelled Asuka.  She threw the halberd, which continued to glow.  It met no resistance, plunging into and through King Ghidorah's back.  The tip erupted from King Ghidorah's chest.  Thus impaled, the kaiju let out one final scream before it cleared the horizon, still flying weakly.

            "It's done," said Asuka.  The glow faded from Unit 02 and Asuka once again surrendered herself to the darkness.

            "No!" shouted Misato, "The damn bastard got away."

            "It cannot run far," observed Ishiro, "See for yourself."

            On the radar screen, it showed the object that was King Ghidorah rapidly loosing altitude until it finally plunged into the ocean.

            "There was no way it could get far at all in its injured state," said Ishiro assuredly, "King Ghidorah will probably die there in the sea."

            "Wonderful," sighed Ritsuko, "Now all that's left is the cleanup."

            "Now is the time," said one of the many members of SEELE.

            "Tokyo 3 lies in ruins, the Evangelions have all been severely damaged," observed another, "There could be no better moment than now to start our attack."

            "Let us finish what the kaiju started!"

            "The Instrumentality of Man will be ours!"

            "Hold!" snapped Keel.

            "Why do you delay our action?"

            "NERV is weakened; we can destroy them and take the Evas with ease."

            "Did you not see the new power that Unit 02 is capable of," snapped Keel, "With that kind of strength, it could easily destroy the entire Eva series."

            "Then what do you suggest that we do?"

            Keel smiled cruelly.  "Did you not see what has happened?  Those fools at NERV, in saving themselves have unwittingly delivered the perfect weapon into our hands.  We will take control and use this new weapon to wreak our vengeance and bring about Third Impact."  He began to laugh.  The other members, catching on to what he was hinting at, were quick to join him.

Author's Note: Within this chapter, there are some obvious inconsistencies with regard to my connection with the Heisei Godzilla series.  I did mention in an earlier chapter that I would be staying true to the events of the Heisei series, with a few important changes.  This is one of them.

            In the Heisei series, King Ghidorah was created by time travelers from the future who placed three genetically engineered animals onto the island that Godzilla originally occupied.  The nuclear tests, which were supposed to have created Godzilla then created King Ghidorah instead.  I chose to run with the original origin of King Ghidorah which was introduced in the Showa series that of the awesome destroyer from space.  In my opinion, this was the better of the two origins for King Ghidorah.  For some reason it has a much more ominous ring to it.  Besides, I can't even begin to list the ways in which the whole time-traveler storyline screwed up the plot of the Heisei series.  So, this other origin for King Ghidorah was not only better, but made much more sense to implement as well.  That having been said, I hope no one minds the liberties I took in this chapter.

            You'll also notice that I had mentioned that King Ghidorah was driven back into space by Godzilla (originally he was responsible for the injury that Unit 02 inflicted in this chapter), which means that Mecha-King Ghidorah has not yet made his debut (big spoiler here).

            And finally, with regard to my introduction of Mothra as an active participant in the plot, I know I was a little harsh.  However, I could see even a character as gentle and kind as Mothra is supposed to be being the kind of entity that would be willing to accept the loss of a few for the salvation of the many, which was why I kind of painted a portrait, or so to speak, of Mothra as somewhat uncaring about the plight of the people in Tokyo 3.  I hope nobody minds that either.

            That having been said, the next chapter will probably be primarily transitional, with no major action sequences.  And for those of you who are wondering, No I haven't forgotten about Kensuke.  I just haven't decided what to do with him yet.


	14. The Tragedy of Aftermath

Author's Note: I am so terribly sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I know it's been well over a month (or maybe two, I forget) since I last posted. Unfortunately I had to deal with a particularly stubborn case of writers block along with the greatest obstacle I have ever faced, my laziness. But now that this chapter is complete, I submit it to you, the readers for your pleasure.

Disclaimer: As much as I regret it, I do not either own Evangelion or Godzilla.

**Chapter 14:** The Tragedy of Aftermath

The sun rose, signaling the beginning of another day. The citizens of Tokyo 3 emerged from their long night in the shelters to find that their once glorious city was no more. In its place lay a sea of unending rubble. The mighty metropolis, which had withstood attacks from the terrible beings known as the Angels, weathered the storms of the angry Godzilla and had even survived the wrath of Mother Earth in the form of Battra and his siblings, had been eradicated over the course of a single night by the kaiju, King Ghidorah. Not a single building had been left standing.

But the people of Tokyo 3 were by necessity a hardy breed, who did not give up in the face of adversity. If they had been otherwise, the city would have been snuffed out long ago. So it was with resignation that the men, women and children of Tokyo 3 went out and began to remake their city.

Before long, some of the hard-working men and women of NERV joined in the cleanup effort. Among them were the first through third children. Shinji and Asuka were desperate to find their friends. Rei simply could not stand the closeness of the underground complex anymore. Ishiro had remained behind for reasons that he did not disclose to the others.

Rather than try to mingle with the crowds of people and try to find their friends, Shinji and Asuka opted to find an elevated perch from which they could obtain a better view. That would make the task of finding Hikari, Touji and Kensuke much easier. Rei disappeared into the crowds.

As Asuka turned to look around her at the people milling about below, her ears caught a distinct sound coming from somewhere nearby.

"Shinji! Asuka!" It was Touji. He was running up to their position, waving his arms frantically. The look on his face was not encouraging. As he reached the base of the pile of rubble where the two other children had situated themselves, Touji stopped and doubled over, catching his breath. "It's…Hikari," he said between gasps, "She's hurt bad!"

"Where is she?!" demanded Asuka at once. Touji surprised her by reaching up and grabbing her arm. Asuka yelled as she nearly toppled over onto the overexcited young man. But Touji ignored her protests, literally dragging the redhead down the rubble-strewn street, back the way he had come. Shinji followed behind them, keeping pace. He was more than a little worried. It would have taken something incredibly disturbing to make Touji so much as touch Asuka. That he was now holding her by the arm and dragging her along behind him like some kind of rag doll made him believe that the situation was even worse than that.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the entrance to one of the many shelters around the city. The fact that the doorway had partially collapsed told Shinji that it had suffered an incredible amount of abuse during the battle. A quick glance inside confirmed his suspicions as there was obvious evidence of a cave-in that had only been recently cleared enough to allow the occupants to exit.

All around the doorway were dozens of people, lying on stretchers, blankets, futons, whatever worked. From the looks of things, Shinji could tell that many of them were victims of what had to have been a collapse. _The shelter must have lost its structural integrity at some point,_ he reasoned. However, what he saw next wiped any further thoughts from his mind.

A bloodied and battered Hikari lay on a blanket that had been folded over to cover her body from the early-morning chill. Red stains were visible up and down the length of the cover, showing the unfortunate young girl had been and might still be bleeding prolifically. And Shinji didn't even want to think about the possible complications that came with having open wounds covered with a fabric that was most likely very much less than clean.

Asuka's protests at Touji's rough treatment died on her lips as her eyes fell on Hikari. Gasping in horror, she fell to her knees next to her friend. Reaching down, Asuka grasped Hikari's shoulder and gently shook her. "Hikari," she whispered, tears falling down her face, "Please wake up."

Asuka's words brought Shinji back to that time so many months ago when it had been he, at Asuka's side that had said very similar words. He too felt his legs beginning to give out. A look at Touji told him that his friend was suffering even worse. The girl Touji cared a great deal for was dieing before his very eyes and there was nothing he could do to help.

Touji seated himself next to Hikari and brushed her cheek with his flesh and blood hand. Tears were running down his face as well.

Shinji tore his eyes from the tragic spectacle, only to find that more than a dozen just like it were occurring all around him. All of these people were injured and some were even dieing. Not all of them had loved ones who could be with them in their final moments. That reminded Shinji, where was Hikari's family?

So curious was Shinji as to the whereabouts of Hikari's parents that he almost missed Rei coming up to them. He was surprised to see a chrome metal case, the size of a large brief case, clutched by the handle in one hand. She carried it with such care that he had to wonder just what the contents of the case were that she would be so careful with them.

Rei walked right up to them and knelt down beside Hikari, across from Asuka and Touji. "Do not worry," she said, "A solution has been presented."

Both Asuka and Touji looked at Rei incredulously. "I didn't know you knew that much first aid," commented Shinji.

"It is not necessary," replied Rei, shaking her head. Opening the case, she withdrew what looked like a syringe and a vial of some kind of amber liquid. As Rei filled the syringe with the substance from the vial, Shinji caught a whiff of a smell that vaguely resembled…blood.

"Is that LCL?" he asked. Rei nodded.

Shinji was confused. He had heard Ritsuko speculate at some time or another on the possibility of using LCL to treat extreme injury by using it to supplement the body's vital fluids. But such treatment required a full submersion in a vat of undiluted LCL. And NERV just didn't have the facilities, or the funding for that matter, for that kind of treatment.

Rei carefully rolled back the blanket, then reached down and rolled up Hikari's sleeve to expose her upper arm. Taking the syringe, she carefully injected the liquid into Hikari's arm. After withdrawing the needle, Rei promptly disposed of it in another compartment of the briefcase. She then rolled back the blanket that covered Hikari farther, exposing the girl's grievous wounds. Shinji was shocked to see that some of which were closing right before his eyes.

"What is that?" he asked.

"It came from Ishiro," answered Rei.

Then it hit Touji. "It must be that regenerator stuff he's been working on."

"That's right," agreed Asuka, "If he was able to successfully regenerate his hand with that stuff, then mending a few broken bones and open wounds will be a piece of cake for this stuff."

"According to Ishiro," added Rei, "It also eliminates infections and even cures every known disease."

"Wow," exclaimed Touji, sitting back and happily watching Hikari recover, "If he started marketing that stuff, Ishiro would be the richest guy in the world in less than a week."

"Excuse me," said Rei, "I must administer the serum to other critical patients." After closing the case, Rei pulled out a notebook and wrote Hikari's name down on it. "In case any abnormalities occur," she said, noting their curious looks, "This will help NERV keep track of those who have been exposed to the regenerator serum."

Shinji and the others nodded. Rei went over to the next patient and repeated the process. Touji, Asuka and Shinji remained at Hikari's side, carefully monitoring her recovery.

"Oh," said Shinji, "Bye the way, do you have any idea where Kensuke might be?"

Touji looked up from Hikari. "Not a clue," he replied, "Kensuke wasn't in the shelter with us."

Shinji fell deep into thought, wondering where Kensuke might be. He could have been in any one of the city's shelters. But at the time of day when the evacuation had been ordered, Kensuke should have been with Touji and Hikari, as school was only just getting out when the evacuation had been ordered. Now that he thought about it, that explained why Hikari's parents were not present either.

It also worried him. If Kensuke was not here, then where was he?

"Shinji!" The shout came from the way they had come. Looking over, Shinji saw Misato sprinting up the path to him.

"What is it?" Shinji asked. He felt his stomach churn when he saw the look on Misato's face. He knew right then and there that whatever she had to say couldn't be good.

"You need to come with me," she said in a shaky voice.

Shinji nodded. "Alright," he agreed. He turned to the others, "You guys stay here with Hikari."

Misato shook her head. "Touji should come too," she added.

Touji looked slightly nervous, but he nodded and stood up to join them. Misato led them down the maze of streets and pulverized buildings. Her path led them to a large pavilion that had been set up. As they neared the vast canvas awning, Shinji fought the urge to vomit. The entire area was steeped with the smell of death. NERV had obviously converted this space into an open-air morgue. The implications of this revelation made Shinji's stomach condition even worse, if such a thing was possible.

Misato led them to a space under the pavilion. The ground was lined with row upon row of stretchers. All of them were covered with sheets. Each sheet covered the prone body of someone who had not survived King Ghidorah's attack on Tokyo 3.

When Misato stopped by one of the stretchers, Shinji swore that he felt his heart stop in his chest then and there. A sheet had been laid over the form of someone who couldn't have been more than a teenager. When Misao pulled the cover back, Shinji found himself staring into the barely recognizable face of Kensuke.

"How long will it be?" SEELE was once again in council.

Keel smiled. "Patience," he said calmly, "We have only just recovered the body."

"This will take a great deal of money," commented one of the other members.

"More than even the Evangelions required," added another, "All fourteen of them."

"Would not have the Eva series been sufficient?" yet another wanted to know, "In its battered state, NERV would have been hard pressed to survive our assault."

Keel was bombarded with further questions and assumptions. And then… "Silence!" he barked. The talking halted immediately. "I understand that most of you are unsure about this venture," he said calmly, "But I assure you that it will be worth the expense. Already, Pilot Saegusa in particular has proven a dangerous obstacle. If we are to attack while he still exists, then the chances are quite high that we shall fail."

"Then why not remove Saegusa from the position of an obstacle?" one of them wanted to know.

"You know as well as I now," explained Keel, "Saegusa is the 19th Angel. His abilities will thwart our every attempt to eliminate him. If we are to deal with the traitor Angel _and_ the other members of NERV, we must launch an unstoppable force; one against which they cannot hope to stand."

"How can you be sure that the creature's power will compare to when it was whole?" yet another member asked.

"It won't," replied Keel confidently, "Its power will be incomparably greater than it ever was. The power of King Ghidorah will pale in comparison to Mecha-King Ghidorah."

Rei approached the steel door slowly. She wasn't sure if she should disturb the room's occupant. After all, he had not left that room since he last went in, not even to eat.

A slight squeaking noise brought Rei's attention back to the cart she was pushing in front of her. The food on the cart was not nearly as good as Shinji's, but it would be palatable at least.

When Rei reached the door, she hesitated slightly before reaching out and pressing the call button. The following silence seemed to last a long time. Several seconds passed before the answer finally came.

"Who is it?" the voice asked hesitantly, shaking slightly.  
"It's me," answered Rei, hoping that, even as distorted as it was by the intercom, her voice would be recognizable to him.

"Come on in," said Ishiro. A second later, the door opened and Rei entered the room, pushing the cart ahead of her.

Ishiro pushed himself away from his desk. Had Rei ever had any experience with such things, she would have found the sight amusing. Ishiro, a boy a little younger than fifteen years old, sitting behind a desk and working like somebody three times his age would have been funny to anyone else. But as far as Rei was concerned, people did what they did. She never any reason to suspect abnormality.

Ishiro looked like he had been startled. Rei reasoned that he must have started when the buzzer sounded suddenly. Then she realized that she had never seen Ishiro actually startled.

"Are you alright?" she wanted to know.

Ishiro sighed and gave a half-hearted laugh as he sank back into his chair. "Not long ago," he said, "I would have known it was you before you even touched that button."

Rei nodded. "I understand."

Ishiro looked up at her. "Do you?" he asked sadly, "Do you know what it's like to go deaf or blind." Rei shook her head. Ishiro looked away again. "I feel that way. Part of the world, most of it even, feels closed off to me now and I feel as vulnerable as an infant." His hands shook as they gripped the arms of his chair harder. "I feel afraid Rei," he said quietly.

Rei decided to change the subject. "I have brought food for you," she said softly, gesturing at the cart and its load."

"Thank you." Ishiro favored Rei with his first smile in a seemingly long time as he stood up from his chair and made his way to the cart. He took the tray of food from the top of the cart and brought it back to his desk. Once he sat back down, Ishiro began to eat, swallowing down his food as quickly as he could manage.

When he was finished, Ishiro leaned back and looked up at Rei. "Is there something you wanted to ask me?" he inquired.

Rei nodded. "What are you doing right now?" she wanted to know.

Ishiro smiled. "I'm working on preparing more doses of regenerator serum. I trust you and the others are keeping records off all the people it's been administered to."

Rei nodded. Ishiro continued. "I'm not worried about mutations or anything like that. After all, if that were going to happen, it would have happened to me already." He flexed his newly regrown hand.

"You saved many lives today," said Rei, "The serum brought back even those who were on the edge of death."

"That's good to know," said Ishiro, "But I'm still guilt of the ones that couldn't be saved."

"They are not your fault," disagreed Rei.

"Aren't they?" Ishiro snapped. Rei was taken aback by the edge in his voice. "I could have helped. I should have known better than to do what I did. I thought King Ghidorah was another dumb, mindless kaiju and it played me like a fool. Instead, I ended up betraying you and the others. Had it not been for Asuka, we might all be dead right now."

"It doesn't matter," said Rei gently. She walked over to the desk and put her hand on his. "Whether it could control you or not, King Ghidorah would have come all the same. If it wasn't you, it would have been another."

"Oh I know that," said Ishiro, his voice almost a growl. "But I could have helped put a stop to things before they went too far. You don't understand. I was the one who contacted King Ghidorah; I was the one who gave it the opportunity to take control. I was the one at fault this time. And there's nothing you can say that will change that."

"The same is true of you," Rei pointed out. That got Ishiro's attention. "There is nothing you can do to change that either."

Ishiro took a moment to digest what Rei had just told him. Essentially, she had said that it was his fault and there was nothing he could say or do to change that. But her statement also implied that because of that fact, he shouldn't sit around and sulk because of it.

Ishiro met Rei's eyes. "Thanks Rei."

Rei nodded and smiled.

Ishiro decided to change the subject. "So how is everybody?"

Rei's expression became saddened. "Kensuke Aida was killed in the attack. He was on one of the buildings. It collapsed while he was still on it."

Ishiro gulped. "No," he whispered. Granted, he wasn't feeling all that much grief as he had not known Kensuke very well at all, but… "How is Shinji taking it?" he wanted to know.

"Shinji has been unresponsive ever since he learned," replied Rei.

Ishiro frowned. _That sounds like the old Shinji,_ he thought. He wasn't a psychologist, but he had a fairly good idea of what was happening. _Losing Kensuke must have triggered a regression._

"What about the others?" he asked finally.

"Suzahara is grieving as well. But he is reacting in a more positive manner than Shinji. Horaki is attempting to help alleviate his pain," Rei said.

"And Asuka?"

"Asuka is doing her best to comfort Shinji," finished Rei, "But she is having little success."

Ishiro nodded. "I can understand that."

"Is there anything we can do?" Rei asked.

"I'm not sure," answered Ishiro, "For once, I really don't know."

Asuka sat in the living room of their home. She had had little to do since the cleanup began. School, of course, had been canceled due to the fact that building was leveled. There was little she could do in helping to repair the damage done to the city. And worse of all, Shinji just wasn't responding to her.

Home, of course, no longer referred to the apartment she, Shinji and Misato had lived in for almost the entirety of their time in Tokyo 3. Instead, they were staying in one of the large skyscrapers that had been lowered into the geofront prior to the attack. Those buildings that had actual living space were being taken up by a great number of NERV personnel, construction workers and all manner of other people involved in the restoration of Tokyo 3. The blocks that had been lowered down had suffered minimal, if any damage. Asuka could now understand what Ishiro meant when he said this was actually a spin-off of the notion of using a similar system for protecting key buildings from kaiju attacks.

Their new "home" wasn't too bad. It was even more spacious than their old apartment had been. Being the Sub-Commander had its advantages, including first pick of living space, which was in short supply now that the majority of the city was gone. As it was, most of the civilians were either being housed in what amounted to a refugee camp. Others were moving out to other, more intact cities around Japan. In fact, Asuka wouldn't be surprised if a few people weren't making plans to leave the country.

Losing Kensuke had been a hard blow for Shinji, she understood. As much as Asuka disliked Aida, she knew that he was important to Shinji and that Shinji was hurting badly. Asuka remembered how it felt to lose her mother. She imagined what it would be like if Hikari had been taken from her life in the same way that Kensuke had been taken from Shinji's. Asuka didn't think she would be able to bear it.

Shinji was locked up in his room. Asuka was really beginning to worry. He hadn't eaten anything since Misato had shown him Kensuke's body. If Shinji didn't eat soon, he would waste away. Asuka was afraid that he might try something like what she did when she was in so much pain that she couldn't bear it.

The old Asuka would have been more than willing to barge into Shinji's room and try to beat some sense into him. But Asuka, fiery as she still was, couldn't bring herself to do something so cruel to Shinji. Besides, he wasn't exactly the type who responded well to the whole tough love notion. That would most likely make things even worse.

The door opened and Misato came in, her arms full of all the food she could carry. Fortunately, among the buildings that were protected from the attack, a few of them contained restaurants and even small grocery stores. Fresh food was now quite a scant commodity in Tokyo 3, as almost all means of production and storage of said food had been eliminated.

Asuka stood up and went to help Misato put away their supplies. As soon as everything was in the refrigerator, Misato turned to regard Asuka. "How is he?" she asked.

Asuka turned to look at Shinji's room. "Not good," she said in an uncharacteristically soft voice, "He still won't come out and he still won't talk to me." Asuka was close to breaking down right then and there. "I've tried everything I can think of Misato!" she sobbed, "What can I say that will make him feel better?"

"I don't really know," answered Misato as she took a seat at the kitchen table. She had removed a can of beer and was slowly sipping at it. Misato was no longer into the habit of chugging down a can first before drinking a second one at a leisurely pace, the widespread chaos and ruination had taken a bite out of her zeal for alcohol, an astounding feat considering that alcohol was normally Misato's solution to depression. Of course, it might have been just because beer, like everything else, was in considerably short supply.

"Perhaps," mused Misato, "It isn't words that Shinji needs." When Asuka looked at her questioningly, Misato continue. "It might mean that he just needs to not be alone, to have someone there who can just be with him. That might help more than any words."

For the first time that day, Asuka smiled. "You might be right," she agreed. Then her smile turned from pleased to, mischievous. "Just when did you get so smart Misato?"

Misato just returned Asuka's smirk. "Hey," she said superiorly, "You can't have this job for almost a year and not pick up some tips on how to do it properly." With that, she finished off her beer in one gulp.

They heard a door outside the kitchen, in the hallway open. Both Misato and Asuka jumped up, hoping that it might be Shinji. As they ran out into the hallway, they saw that it wasn't him. Pen Pen was emerging from the bathroom where he had, no doubt, been helping himself to a nice long soak.

As shocking as it seemed, Pen Pen had come out of the attack completely unscathed. Apparently, he had seemingly just wandered into one of the shelters when the first alarms had begun to wail. There were times Misato and Asuka began to doubt that the penguin wasn't perhaps even smarter than they were. After all, the shelter he had picked had been one of the few that were undamaged in the attack. Perhaps Pen Pen had psychic powers too. They would have to ask Ishiro about that.

Asuka quietly opened the door to Shinji's room. Shinji lay on his bed, completely motionless, but wide awake. A closer look confirmed Asuka's suspicions that the young man was listening to his portable tape player.

It was what he usually did when he was in a depressed state. In fact, a while ago it was something he did frequently. Shinji would lay there on his bed and listen for hours on end while the same cassette tape played over and over again. As far as he was concerned, that player was the only constant in his life. It had been there when his father hadn't. When everything around Shinji was changing, there was still that same player, playing that same music, always the same, like a rock of stability to which he could cling amidst a world of chaos, threatening to tear him away and swallow him alive.

Even though the thing was practically an antique, made obsolete by the not so recent advent of CD and MP3 players, Shinji still remained devoted to the cassette player that he had. It was what he could count on to always be there.

Asuka knew that Shinji had probably not heard her enter. After all, the way he listened almost hypnotically to that music of his, when that thing was playing, he pretty much wasn't aware of anything else.

Shinji was indeed oblivious to his surroundings. Thus, he was more than a little surprised when he felt a pair of arms slipping around him and a body pressing against his back. Asuka held him in a tight embrace, noticing for the first time, how tense Shinji's muscles actually were, despite his relaxed posture.

As Asuka's arms tightened around him, Shinji felt the pain and emptiness inside him slowly going away. He unconsciously relaxed and began to feel the tears welling up in his eyes. It had been a long time since Shinji had ever actually cried. For the most part, he simply let it build up inside him. But now, Shinji finally began to let it go. Turning around, Shinji returned Asuka's embrace and buried his face into her shoulder. As he wept into the girl's shoulder, Asuka's only response was to hold him as tight as she could. Gradually, Shinji's sobs grew softer, until Asuka realized that he had cried himself to sleep. Not willing to leave his side, Asuka held onto Shinji, letting herself fall sound asleep as well.

Thus, she wasn't aware of Misato opening the door to check in on the two. Seeing the two children slumbering peacefully in each other's arms brought a pleased smile to the woman's face. "Maybe now he won't feel so much pain," whispered Misato to herself. With that, she closed the door, leaving the children to their rest.

Tumbling end over end, the massive, elongated piece of metal continued its sluggish journey towards the world of its creation. The Lance of Longinus, pulled from its rocky resting place on the moon by the passing of King Ghidorah, had fallen back into Earth's gravity and in due time would return to the place from whence it came.

It stood alone, a gold and chrome goliath, a melding of metal and flesh. Already, the majority of King Ghidorah's ravaged body was being replaced with new, metal parts. On the inside was a network of both wires and veins that entwined themselves in so complex a way so as to make it impossible to know where the machine ended and the monster began.

The monster's heart had been replaced by something much more powerful, a massive, red sphere that was a replica of those found in the Evangelions. The changes on the outside were even more noticeable. Gigantic solar panels substituted for the dragon's wings. Around each of the golden-scaled ankles was a thick, metallic bracelet, connected with tubing and wires to the main body, which had been encased in thick plates of armor. A series of vents ran down the back armor, undoubtedly for providing an outlet for the heat that would be produced by such a tremendously powerful thing. King Ghidorah's two surviving heads rested against heavy scaffolding in an almost comatose state as workers applied a metal collar, also connected to the main body to the base of each neck. The central head had yet to be replaced, but already, the steel alloy mechanical head that would take its place was being completed, not too far away.

The scientists working on this awesome cyborg had been some of the same ones who had worked on the Evangelion projects and thus had experience melding metal with flesh. They and thousands of laborers had worked nonstop on the cyborg since the day they had recovered the body. They worked in shifts so that someone was always continuing the monster's development. The numbers were carefully balanced in order to maintain the optimum number of workers, not too few or too many, at any time. The costs of this venture already exceeded those of the entire Evangelion program and then some.

All of this data went directly to the members of SEELE, who maintained an almost hawk-like watch of the entire program.

"It will not be much longer now," explained Keel.

"What will we do once the creature is complete?" wanted to know one of the council members.

"We will continue with the original plan," explained Keel, "Only the Eva series will coordinate their efforts with that of Mecha-King Ghidorah."

"In other words," interjected another member, "You are simply using this astronomically expensive creation of ours to add to the firepower of the original task force."

"Exactly," replied Keel, "Despite our best efforts and latest advancements and even the damage taken by NERV, there is still the possibility that the Eva series could be defeated. However, with the unstoppable might of Mecha-King Ghidorah added to our force, NERV will not stand a chance in the impending battle."

"However, we are still giving NERV and extremely dangerous weapon," said yet another member, "Time. The longer it takes to rebuild King Ghidorah, the longer NERV has to repair and replenish its own assets."

"I afforded that fact into our initial calculations and found the amount of time that NERV would have to have little bearing on the outcome." Keel sneered confidently. "Yes, they will be able to fully repair all four of their operational Evangelions in the time they have, but nothing else. The Evangelions will have no support whatsoever. And when we coordinate our attack with a ground assault team that will strike into the halls of NERV itself, there is no way that we can lose."

Asuka woke up before Shinji did, for once. Careful not to disturb the boy's rest, Asuka extracted herself from his arms and made for the bathroom. Misato, apparently, had already left for work. After showering, brushing her teeth and taking care of various other hygienic necessities, Asuka went back to her own room, wrapped in a towel. She picked out an outfit for the day. As Asuka finished dressing, a pair of voices sounded from behind her. "Greetings chosen of Mothra," they said in unison.

With a shout of surprise and several choice words from the German language, Asuka whirled around to behold a pair of tiny women standing on the pillow of her bed. "Who are you?" she demanded in a shocked tone.

"We are the Cosmos," they both replied.

"And we will be at your side when you need us from now on," one.

"We are servants of Mothra," said the other, "But now that she has passed her power to you, it will be you that we serve until Mothra is born again."

Asuka took a moment to digest this. First she had been given powers that she had no understanding of and a task she had no idea on how to perform. And now she had a pair of pint-sized handmaidens. Was there no end to the bizarre turn the world had taken?

"So," said Asuka after a moment, "Do you two have names?"

"I am Mona," said the first.

"I am Lora," said the second.

"Okay," said Asuka after a moment, "It's a start. So now what?"

"Only time will tell what is in store for us," said Mona sagely.

"Well that was only a little cliché," muttered Asuka, "I was hoping to speak with this Mothra about what's happened to me, but she's obviously dead."

"Oh no," protested Lora, "Mothra is not dead yet."

"She is close to death's door, but she has yet to cross over to the other side," added Mona, "However, if you desire to speak with her, it should be sometime soon, for she does not have much time left."

"Okay," said Asuka, "And where do I find Mothra?"

"On Infant Island," said the twin fairies together.

"And that would be…where?" Asuka raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"We are not familiar with the methods you humans use to find your way," explained Mona.

"But if anyone has the means to discern Infant Island's location in a manner that you could understand, it would be your friend Ishiro," added Lora.

"Ishiro?" wondered Asuka, "Why would he know where your home is?"

"Ishiro Saegusa's mother was close to Mothra, she probably gave him the location of Mothra's home," said Mona.

"So I guess I need to talk to Misato," said Asuka, "To make sure that it's alright to go. And I need to talk to Ishiro to see where it is that I need to go." She sighed. This kept on getting weirder by the second. Then she smiled. "But first," she said, "I need to make breakfast for Shinji."

Shinji awoke to the sound of birds outside his window. He carefully opened up his blinds and let in the morning light. The room he had now was actually a little larger than the one he had had at their old apartment. As he sat up, Shinji raked his brain, trying to remember the night before. He vaguely recalled the intense pain he had been suffering when someone had taken him into her arms and soothed him.

Shinji smiled, feeling much better. But as he thought about it, the memory of Kensuke came back and that emptiness once again settled into his heart. Who would be the next to go? Misato? Pen Pen? Ishiro? Touji? Rei? Asuka? Shinji wasn't sure if he could handle losing someone else.

Trying as hard as he could to push those gnawing doubts out of his mind, Shinji found easy distraction with the gnawing of his stomach. _When was the last time I ate?_ he wondered wryly. Getting out of bed, Shinji got dressed and went out into the hallway and made his way to the kitchen to make himself some breakfast.

Shinji's surprise was complete when he opened the door and his nose was flooded with the scent of pancakes, sausages, eggs and toast. Asuka was putting together a nice Western style breakfast. However, she had the telltale signs of learning to cook in a college dorm. She could make great food, but ended up making the kitchen into a disaster zone along with it. That thought made Shinji snicker.

"May I ask what's so funny, Third Child," said Asuka as she turned around. Her voice carried a playful tone, quite unlike the scornful one she used to use when addressing him by that title.

"I was just thinking about how you learned to cook, but somehow missed out on how to clean." Shinji was trying to keep from bursting into laughter at the sight.

"I was going to clean after I finished making you breakfast," she said in a superior tone.

"Any real cook knows you should clean as you go along," retorted Shinji.

"Is that so?" inquired Asuka slyly, "Well. Who died and made you head chef?" Asuka silently cursed her poor choice of words as Shinji's face fell once again. "I'm sorry," she said softly, "I didn't mean to remind you."

"It's okay," whispered Shinji in reply, "I just need some more time."

Asuka silently set a plate full of food in front of him, along with a mug of coffee. "Just remember," she said after a moment, "That you still have us."

"In a way," replied Shinji, "That's what scares me."

"Why?"

Shinji looked down at his reflection in the black swirling liquid within the mug. "Right now I have all of you. But Kensuke just reminded me that I could just as easily lose you, any of you, just like I lost Kensuke."

"Damnit Shinji!" Asuka's fist slammed down on the table across from him, "You aren't the only one who's lost someone! And you're not the only one who was hurt when Kensuke died. How do you think Touji's feeling right now? He and Kensuke were friends way before you ever showed up. If anything, this probably hurts him as much, maybe even more than it hurts you."

That made Shinji stop. "I can't be selfish can I?" he mumbled.

Asuka pulled up a chair and sat down next to him. "No," she murmured into his ear, "You can't. I lost my mother, Misato her father, and so many other people have lost the ones they love since Second Impact.

"When I lost my mom, I felt like I couldn't ever be close to anyone again. That's why I was such a bitch when you first met me. But thanks to Ishiro, Touji, Kensuke, Hikari, even Rei, and especially you, I found out I could trust again Shinji." Asuka rested her head on Shinji's shoulder.

"I guess that I have to learn that I can't run away from my pain anymore," said Shinji.

"You've already learned that," replied Asuka, "You only have to learn that you don't have to not run away from your pain alone."

"Thank you Asuka," he said. Shinji wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Asuka reciprocated. Shinji rested his head on her shoulder for a moment.

When they parted, Asuka smiled. "I guess it's time for you to finish your breakfast. And then we'll see what we can do."

"Yeah," agreed Shinji. They ate breakfast in comfortable silence. When they were finished, Shinji went out to visit Touji.

Asuka cleaned up the dishes to the best of her ability. The day wore on and found her sitting on the couch in the living room, in front of the television, switching listlessly from channel to channel. The front door opened and in came Misato. Asuka looked up and her faced brightened immediately.

"Back already," she observed, raising an eyebrow.

Misato gave Asuka a tired smile. "Yeah, I thought I'd have lunch with you and check on Shinji."

"Shinji went over to see Touji," replied Asuka.

"Did you two work things out?" asked Misato.

"Yeah," said Asuka, "Shinji's feeling better now.

"That's good," commented Misato, "That makes my job so much easier."

Asuka nodded. "By the way Misato, could you call Ishiro? There's something I need to talk to the two of you about."

"You want to go where?" asked Ishiro and Misato at the same time. The two of them exchanged glances as they regarded Asuka. On Asuka's request, Ishiro had come out of his lab down in headquarters to visit with them. Asuka wanted to talk to Ishiro and Misato at the same time and get it over with.

"It's called Infant Island," reiterated Asuka.

"And where did this come from?" Misato wanted to know.

"Them." Asuka inclined her head at the two fairies that had suddenly appeared on the coffee table in front of the couch where Ishiro and Misato sat. Misato blinked. A second later she let out a surprised yelp and leaned back away from the Cosmos. Ishiro merely inclined his head in greeting to them.

"I understand," said Ishiro, "You wish to converse with Mothra so that you might achieve a better understanding of the nature of the power that she has bestowed upon you."

"That's about the size of it," agreed Asuka.

"And you want us to pack up and head out just like that," demanded Misato, "To an island that we have no idea of the location of…"

"That's not entirely true," interrupted Ishiro, "I have heard of Infant Island from my mother. She has never been there herself, but she was closely involved with a survey team that was sent to the island during her tenure with G-Force. That team was the one that discovered Mothra's egg in the first place."

"Wait a minute," interjected Asuka, "From what I heard, Mothra was pretty old in the first place. But if your mother's friends found her egg, that couldn't have been more than twenty or so years ago, I thought Mothra was older than that."

"And she is," replied Ishiro, "But Mothra is the reality behind the legend of the phoenix."

"The phoenix," Misato was slightly confused.

"You don't know that story?" inquired Ishiro. When they shook their heads, he shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "The phoenix is a mythological bird that was immortal, or so to speak. You see, every time the phoenix died, it would burst into flame and a new one would be born from the ashes.

"So it is with Mothra. When Mothra dies, she leaves behind an egg that hatches into a larva. That larva evolves into the new Mothra. How long Mothra lives between death and rebirth is not a sure thing."

"That is correct," agreed Mona, "Depending on how much of her strength Mothra uses, she can live for a very long time or a very short time."

"And the egg sometimes remains dormant for years," added Lora, "In fact, the last egg that Mothra hatched from was several centuries old."

"In any case," finished Ishiro, "The point is, I have a fair idea of where to find Infant Island. You see, when my mother passed away, she left me all the data she had ever gathered on every kaiju she had ever studied. That included Mothra. According to what I read in mom's files once, Infant Island is somewhere in Indonesia."

"That narrows down our search to only a few dozen," grumbled Misato.

"The exact location is in the files, I am certain of that," said Ishiro, "I'll look it up for you Asuka. Then, if it's alright with the higher ups, we'll plan a trip there."

"Sounds good to me," replied Asuka.

"I'll check it out with my superior," said Misato, referring to Fuyutsuki, who had taken over after Gendo Ikari's incarceration, "But it's going to be tough. Between the kaiju and the Angels, I don't think the Commander is going to be happy about losing another one of his pilots in such a critical time."

"What is more critical," explained Mona, "Is that Asuka learns more about the nature of her powers. However, we are not privileged with that information."

"The only one who can tell her is Mothra," finished Lora.

"Once Asuka learns full control over the power Mothra has bestowed in her, she will become a new light for humanity," said Mona.

"But Mothra will not be with us much longer. If you want to meet with her, now must be the time," Lora said to Asuka.

"It seems, that the best tactical advantage lies in allowing Asuka to master her powers," agreed Ishiro, "That might be of interest to your Commander."

"I'll see what I can do," said Misato with a sigh, "But I don't see how he's going to go for this."

"Do what you can," was all that Ishiro had to say.

"Thank you Misato," said Asuka.

"I am sorry to say that I cannot approve this Major Katsuragi," insisted Fuyutsuki, "I can't allow another one of our pilots to go off on a kaiju hunt when one of the four we have is already incapacitated as it is, not to mention that the Third Child is less than fit for combat himself. According to Dr. Akagi, he may be on the verge of another breakdown."

"But Commander, it could mean a great deal to the defense of Tokyo 3," exclaimed Misato.

"How so," Fuyutsuki wanted to know, "We are putting our faith in something we can't even begin to understand. Dr. Akagi and her staff cannot even confirm that this so called power that Pilot Sorhyu is said to possess even exists. None of their tests have revealed the slightest change in the Second Child."

"Nonetheless," replied Misato, "We already have considerable evidence that this power does indeed exist."

"How so?"

"In the battle with King Ghidorah," answered Misato, "When Unit 02 began to glow and actually functioned for several seconds outside of its normal operational parameters and struck a mortal blow to the enemy kaiju."

"Despite that" said Fuyutsuki, "I still cannot give approval for this expedition. We need every hand here right now. I'm afraid that that's all I have to say on the matter."

"But…"

"Good day Ms. Katsuragi."

The door to the Commander's office slid open. Misato came out; her shoulders sagging and a depressed look on her face.

"I take it that the Commander did not give approval for our little field trip," commented Ishiro, who was waiting outside for her.

"No," sighed Misato, "There's nothing more I can do."

Ishiro watched her go. _I don't want to reveal the existence of the Cosmos to more people than necessary,_ he thought, _But__, they may be our only remaining option._ Ishiro turned around and made a beeline for the Katsuragi/Ikari/Sorhyu residence.

The door slid open and Ishiro tentatively poked his head around the door. "Commander?" he asked softly, "May I speak with you?"

"Are you also suggesting that Pilot Sorhyu go off on this crazy search for a certain kaiju?" asked Fuyutsuki with a sigh. It had only been an hour since Misato had tried to convince him. And now the Sixth Child too. _Of all the times I don't need him to be a maverick, now is the last time I need it._

"I'm afraid so," replied Ishiro, prompting another tired sight from Fuyutuski.

"I said the same thing to Major Katsuragi an hour ago," he said as calmly as he could manage, "I can't possibly give authorization for that. There is no concrete proof you can offer that will convince me otherwise."

Ishiro walked up to Fuyutsuki's desk, keeping his hands behind his back. When he reached the aforementioned piece of furniture, Ishiro withdrew the box he was holding from behind his back and set it down on the desk. "I submit for your approval the requested concrete proof," Ishiro said loftily as he lifted the lid on the box.

The Commander's eyes nearly blew out of their sockets. The Cosmos rose from the seats in the box and bowed slightly to Fuyutsuki. "Greetings friend," they said in unison.

Fuyutsuki wiped his forehead and leaned back in his chair. "I need a seat," he muttered to himself.

"You are seated, sir," said Ishiro.

"I'd think I was drunk, but I haven't had anything to drink since Ghidorah attacked. Who are you two?" Fuyutsuki leaned forward to regard the Cosmos.

"We are the servants of Mothra," explained Mona.

"The girl, Asuka, is Mothra's chosen," added Lora.

"Chosen?" Fuyutsuki raised a skeptical eyebrow.

_I'm willing to bet that Asuka did the same thing when she found out,_ thought Ishiro to himself, smugly.

"When Mothra's life began to slip away, she gave a portion of her power to Asuka," said Mona.

"We were told that you are the one who decides whether or not Asuka can visit Mothra to learn more about her powers," said Lora.

"So that's it," groaned Fuyutsuki, "I have to hand it to you Ishiro, I'd never thought anyone would come up with something as crazy as this. So this is supposed to convince me that Pilot Sorhyu should go out to find this Mothra."

"That's about the size of it," agreed Ishiro.

Fuyutsuki rested his elbows on the desk and rubbed his temples. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered to himself. "Fine," he burst out, "You can take Sorhyu to find this Mothra thing. But I want her back as soon as possible. She is one of our last able pilots and we need all the pilots we can get right now."

"Yes sir," replied Ishiro gleefully.

"Written permission will be filed by tomorrow morning. I'm giving you a full three weeks to get this over with, but that's a generous envelope. If you're not back before then, I'll have some very choice words for you and even a reduction in your salary." Fuyutsuki groaned.

"If I recall correctly, we pilots don't have a salary," replied Ishiro, "But now that you've brought that up…"

Another, louder groan filled the air, followed by an undeniable command, "Out!"

"I still can't believe that you somehow managed to convince the Commander to allow this," exclaimed Asuka as the ship skimmed across the water. It was a fairly small vessel, certainly no cruise liner. But it was fast and served their purposes. After arriving at the closest airport, the pair of pilots, along with their guardian, Misato were given the fastest ship the local government could supply, an experienced pilot, and they were off.

"I just hope it's okay to leave Shinji alone at home," mused Misato as she joined them on the deck. The ship being no cruise liner meant that the ride was anything but smooth. Misato was just returning from the head after a particularly ugly bout of seasickness.

"Rei said that she would look in on him frequently," replied Ishiro, who was digging around in his satchel.

"That girl had better not make a move on my Shinji," growled Asuka.

"Perish the thought," said Ishiro distractedly, "Eureka!"

He pulled a map and practically waltzed into the cabin. "Follow me ladies," he shouted gleefully behind him.

Ishiro spread the map out on the table inside. The map displayed in considerable detail a large island. The words over the map identified the landform as Infant Island. Ishiro pointed out a part on the map. "According to what was in my mother's files, Mothra's home should be around here."

"You don't know for sure?" asked Misato.

"The last expedition to the island was the one that found Mothra's egg. The island hasn't been touched since." Ishiro shrugged his shoulders. "This is our best guess."

"It had better be right," growled Misato, "We only have three weeks and it's going to take us more than a week to get there, which means it will take that time, maybe even more for us to get back. We can't afford to waltz far and wide across that island because your guess was off."

Indonesia, like many island nations, had been devastated by the Second Impact. As the ice over Antarctica melted and sea levels rose, islands large and small were the first things to go, many of them completely submerged under the newly enlarged sea. And now, even with the receding sea levels as the world recovered from the catastrophe, many of those islands had yet to reappear. Indonesia had been one of the worst hit. Only the largest and northernmost islands had survived Second Impact even partially, which meant the only working airport in the country was practically next door to the mainland.

Infant Island had been in the southern region of Indonesia. A NERV satellite scan, taken just before Ishiro and the others had left, showed that, surprisingly enough, the island was still there and to all appearances completely untouched by the rising sea level.

Ishiro had been depending on the Cosmos for help, but almost immediately prior to their departure, the twin fairies had vanished without the slightest trace. Thus, Ishiro, Asuka and Misato were forced to leave without them. Ishiro only hoped they weren't in any trouble.

Infant Island was big. There was no doubt about it. Asuka understood immediately why Misato was worried. If Ishiro's guess was even the slightest bit off, it could take days, even weeks of searching through the thick jungle to find their true destination. While Asuka understood that Fuyutsuki was a much more lenient Commander than Gendo Ikari, he still wasn't one who could be disobeyed lightly. In addition, the circumstances in Tokyo 3 were dire. If an attack were to occur, the city would be virtually defenseless. They had to get this over with and quickly.

The boat pulled in at the base of a rocky cliff. Ishiro looked up and sighed. "We're going to have to climb that to get where we're going."

"Just great," grumbled Misato as she shifted the heavy backpack she was carrying. In fact, they were all carrying packs, filled with all the essentials so that they might last at least three days, maybe even five if they stretched their rations well enough.

"Hey," protested Ishiro, "I did the best I could. And according to the map, this is the shortest route to our destination. It's either an hour climb up this thing or we circle around to the closest thing this island has to a beach and spend four or five days trekking cross country, finish our business and spend four or five days trekking back. It's your choice of course…Major."

Misato cursed fluently under her breath. "Fine," she exclaimed after a moment, "Let's get going." Ishiro led the way as they began to head up the cliff.

The cliff wasn't actually that steep. The terrain was full of rocky protrusions that made it much easier to climb and they made good time, even with the weight on their backs. However, there was a great deal of lose rock, making the trip somewhat hazardous. But they managed to make their way up the cliff without mishap.

At the top, the rock wall leveled out into a massive dirt ledge. The ground was mostly flat, but about ten yards from where Ishiro and company reached the top, it dipped down in a sudden depression. The depression was of an ovoid shape that vaguely resembled an egg. It reached another sheer cliff wall, where it extended into the rock of the cliff itself. Ishiro walked up to the edge of the depression and crouched down to look into it. "So this is where Mothra's egg was found," he whispered. The other two barely heard him.

"If this is where Mothra hatched, where's the shell?" Asuka wanted to know.

"The egg hatched out at sea," replied Ishiro, "This is where it was initially found. A deal was made with the corporation that owned this island to haul the egg back to Japan. Midway, it hatched and the larval Mothra escaped."

"We are glad you made it."

Ishiro yelped and nearly fell over forward into the egg's former resting place as the twin voices rang out in unison. Misato dropped her backpack and went for her gun out of instinct. Asuka just jumped three feet into the air.

After recovering from the shock, Ishiro whirled in the direction of the two voices. "A little warning would be convenient!" he yelled at the Cosmos as they emerged from behind a cluster of flowers.

"We are sorry," they both replied.

Ishiro wiped sweat from his forehead. "Well," he said, "Now that that's out of the way, did we come to the right place?"

"Almost," said Mona, "But there is still a little further to go. Follow us."

"We will take you to Mothra," said Lora, "She does not have much time left, so we must hurry."

"Let's go!" shouted Asuka.

They followed the Cosmos behind a stand of trees. There, they went into a tunnel. The tunnel itself had the unmistakable signs of being manmade. It was dark inside the tunnel, so they were forced to get out their flashlights. As Ishiro looked around, he spotted something on the wall. Going up to it, he ran his hand over the rough stone, brushing off a rather thick layer of dust to reveal a painting.

This was no primitive caveman painting either. It was done with incredible detail; the image dictated was unmistakably that of Mothra. As Ishiro continued to brush away the grime, more of the image was revealed.

"That's Battra!" Misato pointed out as the second figure was revealed.

"This painting must dictate the battle that took place between the two of them so long ago," mused Ishiro, "The battle that preceded the coming of man and brought about the end of an advanced civilization."

"That is correct," agreed Lora.

"This is the battle that occurred between Mothra and Battra many millennia ago to decide the fate of the race that preceded your own," said Mona.

While Misato and Asuka marveled at the image and the story it told, Ishiro wandered deeper into the cave. Farther down, he encountered what he thought might be another mural. Carefully brushing away the even thicker layer of dust, Ishiro was shocked by the image before him.

"This is…" He analyzed the image very closely, concluding what it depicted without a doubt.

"Misato, Asuka, over here," he waved them over to where he stood.

"What is it?" Misato asked.

Ishiro pointed to the image. "This depicts a legend from Shinto mythology."

"Shinto?" Misato raised a confused eyebrow.

Ishiro's eyes widened. He turned to Asuka to see what she thought. He was taken aback when he saw Asuka giving him a very similar look. Ishiro sighed. "And you call yourself Japanese," he groaned.

"Well," demanded Asuka tapping her foot impatiently on the ground.

"Shinto was the original religion of Japan. It has been widely practiced in the country since before the days of its birth as a religion all the way up until Second Impact. It might very well be one of the longest living religions in the world. It predates Christianity by several thousand years." Ishiro sighed again.

"Anyway," interrupted Misato, "You said this image is from Shinto mythology, what is it?"

The mural depicted a humanoid figure doing battle with a colossal eight-headed dragon. "This is the story of Orochi, the eight-headed dragon that was slain by the storm god Susanoo. According to legend, Susanoo found a magnificent sword in the dead serpent's body. He gave that sword to his sister, Amaterasu, the sun goddess, who eventually gave it to her descendant, the first emperor of Japan, along with the two other pieces of the Imperial Regalia."

"Now those I remember," said Misato.

"Good," snapped Ishiro, "At least I won't have to explain that too." He leaned in to examine the drawing more closely. "There's something strange about this portrayal of Susanoo. There's something familiar about him that I can't quite place."

"Come," said Mona quietly, interrupting Ishiro's reverie, "Mothra awaits." Lora nodded in agreement.

"Alright then," said Asuka, more than a little nervously, "Let's go meet Mothra."

The tunnel went on for a long time. Or at least it seemed a long time. The three visitors to Infant Island were too enthralled by the wonders of the cavernous passage that they didn't bother to check any of the many time-keeping instruments they had brought with them. No more paintings were visible on the cave walls. But their place was taken by spectacular cave formations formed by the slow passage of water through the stone of this ancient labyrinth.

After a considerable amount of time walking, the travelers came to what seemed to be some kind of doorway. It seemed the right size for an average human being. The Cosmos led the way in. Past the doorway, the tunnel opened up into a massive circular room. The cavern curved upward and would have formed a dome had the top not been open the sky. Stars gleamed down through the opening, indicating that the group had been on the move for quite some time.

But what really drew their attention, was the creature at its center. Mothra was a creature of tremendous size, with a wingspan easily matching that of Battra. And yet, there was a certain delicate aspect to Mothra that belied her size. The kaiju's body was covered in a light fuzz of various colors. Her wings were a mosaic of equally brilliant hues. Two, sky blue eyes, having the appearance of well cut sapphires, shone from Mothra's head like azure beacons. Beneath those eyes, a pair of black mandibles opened and released a piercing keen.

Asuka felt her teeth rattling at the sound. Being this close to the actual monster made her realize just how powerful and beautiful Mothra really was. The projections Mothra had sent to Asuka through her dreams paled in comparison to the real thing.

Mothra keened a second time. This time, Asuka heard the words in her head as if Mothra were speaking perfect German. _"Greetings my dear child."_

Asuka, not able to think of anything else to do, bowed slightly. The gigantic moth's eyes twinkled, with what Asuka thought to be laughter. She heard it even more plainly when the creature spoke again.

_"You have many questions for me,"_ observed Mothra.

"Yes," agreed Asuka.

Mothra's massive head tilted downward and up again, urging Asuka to go on.

"This power you gave me," said Asuka, "What does it do? How does it work? What am I supposed to do with it?" Her voice grew slightly more frantic with each question. Ishiro and Misato loitered off to one side, completely forgotten. Mona and Lora had disappeared completely.

_"You are confused about this power I gave you,"_ chirped Mothra calmly, _"I cannot tell you in complete certainty what it does, or how it works. It is different for each person. I first gave my power to another a long time ago. It occurred not long after my battle with Battra. I was weak from my wounds and the strength I had expended in the fight. So I gave my power to another of the Earth's creations and she became the mother of a new people."_

"What people?" Asuka wanted to know.

_"You."_

A gasp escaped Asuka's lips. "You mean that you were the one who gave Lilith the power to create humanity."

_"Since Battra had destroyed the ones who came before, she decided to begin anew. Earth's daughter wanted to give sentient life a second chance and thus allowed humanity to be born from her blood."_

"So what does this have to do with my power?" Asuka wanted to know.

_"Nothing,"_ replied Mothra, _"And everything,"_ she added cryptically.

"What do you mean by that?" Asuka demanded.

_"Lilith is but one example of how the power I gave you can be used,"_ answered Mothra, _"She has nothing to do with you because she was something completely different. And yet she has everything to do with you because you too can do incredible things with your power. But what those things are depend on what you choose to do with that power. How you use it, how you tap it are things that you will have to discover over time."_

"Thanks a lot," growled Asuka under her breath.

_"I am sorry my beloved child. You came such a great distance for answers that I cannot give. All that I can tell you is that your power is tied to your heart. And I don't mean that silly muscle that beats in your chest. Your heart, the center of your being will ultimately dictate how your power is controlled and what it does. Follow that and you will find your answers."_

Asuka nodded silently. Then she turned to go.

Mothra's eyes dimmed. _"I have very little time left,"_ she said as Asuka left, _"You, the one named Ishiro, step forward."_

Ishiro came forward and stood before Mothra. "What is it you wish great one?" he asked softly.

_"I knew your mother,"_ said Mothra _"She was very important to the survival of this world. I understand that you lost your powers because you overused them when you were dominated by the evil spirit of King Ghidorah."_

Ishiro nodded. "King Ghidorah managed to take control of me because I got overconfident and tried to pit myself against something I don't understand."

_"What little life I have left, I can use to restore your power. I know it is very important to you."_

"But great one," protested Ishiro, "I can't take away the rest of your life."

_"I can do no further good by hanging on to what little life I still have,"_ replied Mothra, _"Ultimately, I will simply whither away and that life will be wasted. You are a chance for me to do one last good deed before I begin the process of my rebirth. Please take my life."_

Ishiro sighed. "If that is what you truly wish…"

_"Thank you,"_ whispered Mothra.

Mothra's blue eyes flared, sending streams of azure light to wrap around Ishiro. For a moment, the young man seemed to be trapped within a whirlwind of cerulean light. Then the streams poured into him, filling Ishiro up so that he began to glow as well. When the light faded, Mothra lay motionless, the light in her eyes completely gone.

Ishiro closed his eyes and bowed deeply to the lifeless kaiju. As he did so, the extreme edges of Mothra's body glowed a deep gold color and she began to disintegrate right before the humans' watching eyes. Mothra dissolved into a million dancing motes of light that began to collect in the center of the cavern and faded away to reveal a gigantic egg.

"And so it ends," observed Ishiro, "And begins again."

Their business having been concluded, there was nothing left to do but leave.

The boat ride back was a subdued one. Asuka was silent, contemplating what Mothra had told her, and what she hadn't. Ishiro had locked himself in his room and hadn't come out since they returned to the ship. Misato spent most of her time lounging around and doing what she did best, drinking.

After a full day in his cabin, Ishiro stepped out and sat down wearily on one of the couches in the lounge. He was tired and feeling a little sick from all the rocking. It was making it difficult for him to concentrate.

"What's up?" asked Misato.

"Oh, just checking up on current events," replied Ishiro, "I can see and hear practically anything, anywhere."

"Don't overuse your sixth sense again," remarked Misato smugly.

"I don't consider it a sixth sense," replied Ishiro, "Rather an extension of the previous five."

"Oh," said Misato, raising an eyebrow, "Find out anything interesting."

"I can't even get my mind out of my body," moaned Ishiro, "All this rocking is making it impossible to concentrate."

"Maybe you just need a change of scenery," suggested Misato, "Outside might work better."

"It's worth a shot," mused Ishiro. He stepped out. A second later, Asuka stepped in.

"Still trying to puzzle out what Mothra said to you?" asked Misato.

"No," sighed Asuka, sinking into the same place where Ishiro had recently been sitting, "I gave up. I'll just have to wait and see what happens. This search my heart stuff that Mothra suggested isn't helping at all."

"We apologize that this pilgrimage wasn't as much help as you hoped," said the Cosmos, who seemingly came from nowhere, causing Misato to jump into the air with a yelp before downing another beer to calm herself down.

"That's worth a lot," grumbled Asuka.

The door was nearly yanked off its hinges as Ishiro barged into the room. "Okay," he huffed, "I know that saying we have to hustle is an understatement, but now we really need to get back to Tokyo 3."

"Why the urgency?" asked Misato calmly, "I take it your powers must have worked all of a sudden."

"This isn't really time for that Misato," hissed Ishiro, "I just happened to drop in on SEELE, just as they were finalizing their plans for a major assault on NERV."

"Please say you're kidding," yelped Misato.

"I'm afraid I'm not," replied Ishiro, "I know everything except the how."

"Why weren't you able to get their attack plan?" Asuka wanted to know, "I thought you could psychically eavesdrop on their conversations without any problem."

"I used to be able to," replied Ishiro, "But at the very moment I would have learned what their plan was exactly, it was like somebody drew a black curtain between me and them."

"You've overused your powers already!" exclaimed Misato.

"That's not it," protested Ishiro, "Somebody or something deliberately cut me off from my contact. There's something about this whole event that even SEELE isn't aware of. There's someone else at work here."

"Coming from either of the Commanders," grumbled Misato, "That would be something I'm used to. But coming from you, that sounds even worse than your news about the attack itself."

She hauled herself to her feet. "Well," she said, "I'll talk to the captain and see if he can get this thing moving any faster. We'll have to really make tracks."

"We have to hurry," whispered Ishiro to himself, "This is worse than even I know."

_The pieces are all in place. The game has already begun. The fools play with their pawns, not even realizing that they are pawns themselves. They try to pit themselves against me, even though I am playing both sides of the board. When the two divided are reunited, the fall of mankind will begin in earnest._

Author's Note: Deciding whether or not to kill Kensuke was the biggest decision I made and the one that stalled me the most when it came to writing this story. It didn't help that my sister, who doubles as my rather cynical proof-reader was practically begging me to kill someone off (makes you worry doesn't it?). Anyway, I hope no one really hates me for the fact that I killed Kensuke (okay, it was King Ghidorah, but we all know that the author is the one who's really responsible). And finally, I would like to warn that any Evangelion purists who might be reading this story, though most of you probably dropped this thing like a hot rock in the second chapter, that you should probably back out know, because I'm about to take the whole story behind the Angels and turn it upside down, inside out and just about any other way you can think of. I think I've thrown in a twist that even the most dedicated Godzilla/Eva fans will be hard pressed to figure out. But please do try.


	15. The Second Armageddon

Author's notes: Before we begin, I would like to humbly apologize for taking so damn long to finish this chapter and also for having so little to show for all that time I spent. It wasn't that I suffered from writers block. To the contrary, I think I suffered a lack of motivation from the fact that I had this story planned out pretty much all the way to the end. In any case, I know you've all been waiting so patiently for this chapter. I'm afraid that this one will be rather anticlimactic. Bear with me and I promise that the action will start up again with the next installment (which, in all honesty, might take even more time to complete). However, don't lose heart my devoted readers. The story must and will go on. I swear it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, Godzilla or any affiliated entities. On with the show!

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* * *

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**Chapter 15: The Second Armageddon**

The Captain had throttled the boat up to as high a speed as he dared. He had promised a reduction of time of at least five hours, meaning that they could get to Tokyo 3 that much faster. Misato had already contacted the airfield to have their flight ready when they arrived. She had been about to call the Commander, but Ishiro intervened.

"We shouldn't use phones to relay this kind of information," said Ishiro, staying Misato's hand from dialing that all-important number.

"This is an emergency of the most urgent kind," protested Misato, "We need to have everything ready when you arrive or else it could be too late."

"From what I gathered from my probes, we have at least a week's time before we SEELE commences its attack," replied Ishiro, "But phones are unreliable and easily tapped. If SEELE learns that we are aware of its plans, they will advance their timetable and attack before we can arrive."

"Or worse," added Asuka, joining them, "They might decide it would be a good idea to kill us while we're separated from the Evas and NERV support."

"A week still leaves us with practically no time after we get back," said Misato, "If Commander Fuyutsuki isn't notified in advance, we won't be ready by the time the attack commences."

"I'll take care of that," announced Ishiro. He tapped his head, smiling slyly, "I'm willing to bet that SEELE doesn't have something to track this."

"What about that thing that cut you off from probing their minds and eavesdropping on them?" Asuka asked.

"Whatever it was," replied Ishiro, "My instincts told me that it was something separate, different. Whatever reasons it had for blocking my psychic probes were its own and not necessarily in accord with SEELE."

"Well," said Misato after a moment, "Do what you think is best."

Ishiro nodded. _Whatever that thing was that cut me off, I hope that it isn't in league with SEELE or we'll be in real trouble._

* * *

In the darkness of Asuka's unused cabin, the two Cosmos conversed in quiet tones. "Should we tell them?" asked Mona rhetorically.

"It would be for the best," replied Lora, "If what Ishiro said is true, then they will need to know about it."

"However, considering what the truth is, knowledge of it might only breed mistrust with us," countered Mona.

"But if they are allowed to find this information out on their own the mistrust it breeds will be even worse," retorted Lora.

"We will leave the tale untold for the time being," said Mona.

"We will tell them eventually," pressed Lora.

"Yes," agreed Mona, "Eventually."

* * *

Ishiro calmly looked out over the bow. After his psychic conference with a rather surprised Fuyutsuki, he was feeling a little drained, but not from any overextension of his powers. As he leaned against the railing, his thoughts turned to their recent experiences on Infant Island. The particular image that captured his mind was the image of Orochi and Susanoo. There was something about that image that teased his mind; something…familiar.

Asuka joined him. "Penny for your thoughts 6th Child," she inquired.

Ishiro sighed. "I was thinking about that painting in the cave."

"You mean that one of the dragon and the storm god whatshisname?"

"It's Susanoo," growled Ishiro under his breath. He turned to look at Asuka. "I don't suppose it reminds you of anything. Does it?"

Asuka shook her head. "Considering I didn't even know about Shinto before that, I don't think it should jar any memories. Why didn't I ever learn about Shinto anyway? I do go to school in Japan after all. You'd think I'd learn something about all these old religions."

Ishiro shook his head sadly. "Nobody thinks that information is pertinent anymore. Since Second Impact, many religions have gone out of style. Not just Shinto, but Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Native American and African spirituality, and even Islam have just faded off the map. I guess people simply became too concerned with survival to worry about the hidden meaning behind things anymore. Of all the religions in the world, it seems that Christianity is the only one that actually remains active and well known. It probably has something to do with the Angels."

"You know," said Asuka, "I just had an idea. Why don't you ask the Cosmos about that painting? That kind of thing would be right up their alley, being from their island and all."

"That's true," agreed Ishiro. He smiled slyly at Asuka. "Maybe I should probe your mind and figure out what it is that makes you so darn smart."

He was instantly rewarded with a crushing blow to the noggin. "YOU DO AND I'LL MAKE SURE YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN! Keep your brain to yourself you pervert." She spun away and snorted disdainfully.

Ishiro sighed. "I think I liked her better when she didn't know I was reading her mind," he muttered quietly.

"What was that?" growled Asuka menacingly.

"Nothing," Ishiro squeaked meekly.

* * *

It woke up in phases, quite surprised actually that it was even alive. Gradually, King Ghidorah became aware of its surroundings. The first thing it noticed was _them_. The humans, the pathetic insects it had come to exterminate, they were everywhere. They surrounded King Ghidorah, inhabited the very building it occupied and even dared to trespass on its own body.

As if that insult wasn't grievous enough, King Ghidorah became aware of the fact that many parts of its body felt replaced. It realized that the humans had even gone so far to modify its own body instead of allowing King Ghidorah to heal on its own. Now it might never be whole again. King Ghidorah quickly became aware of one of the few emotions that it could feel, rage.

It had to lash out. It had to smite these worthless parasites that thought they could control it and disfigure the great King Ghidorah so. The humans had to pay in blood for the evils they had done to it.

_Curb your anger._ The voice seemed to come out of nowhere, echoing in the corridors of King Ghidorah's mind. King Ghidorah considered the voice curiously, as well as the mind that conveyed it. This wasn't the voice of that impudent human that had tried to probe Ghidorah's mind while it was still coming to Earth. This voice was different. Its mind belonged to someone powerful, superior, and worthy the mighty dragon's consideration.

_Allow the humans to use you for now,_ continued the voice, _Let them believe that they control you and act as they direct. Do so and I will not only restore you but will aid you in accomplishing that which you came here to do in the first place._

Had Ghidorah eyebrows, it would have raised them in surprise. This strange being seemed to know the reason it had come to Earth. It was even willing to aid the hydra in this task. Ghidorah consented to the thing's request.

_You are wise. Soon, the world will tremble at the truth of your awesome power._

The voice, and the mind it belonged to, departed abruptly. Ghidorah calmed its mind and settled back down to rest some more. The humans had not yet realized that it was awake. That might yet be their undoing.

* * *

"The painting?" murmured Mona.

"We know little of that battle," said Lora to Ishiro, "That conflict occurred even before our time."

"But then how did it come to rest on the wall in Mothra's cave?" asked Ishiro, "Someone had to have painted it there."

Mona turned to regard Lora, "Maybe it was the previous Cosmos," she suggested.

"Previous Cosmos," Ishiro raised an eyebrow as he leaned back in his chair. He had just broached the subject of the painting he had found back on Infant Island.

"Yes, we Cosmos generally live for a long time," said Mona.

"But we are hardly immortal," finished Lora.

_God, I hate it when they talk in turns,_ thought Ishiro, _It's so annoying._ Despite his agitation, he kept his face neutral as he continued. "So then this story may actually have been passed down through your people."

"It also seems to have passed down through your people," countered Mona.

"The story my people tell about Susanoo and Orochi is nothing like the painting," replied Ishiro, "In the Shinto legend, Susanoo literally wined and dined each of the eight heads into a stupor before cutting them off; hardly the awesome conflict dictated in your wonderful painting."

Lora nodded. "That is most certainly not how our legends tell it."

Ishiro leaned forward. "Could you please tell me then how your legends do tell it?"

Mona nodded to Lora, who began the story.

"This story was passed down through the eons by the Elias, our people, about the great one who fought the mighty eight-headed dragon that you know as Orochi. The great one is, of course the one you know as Susanoo.

According to our legend, the world was born of strife and all life was chaos. Every being, sentient or otherwise, struggled to stay alive during this trying time. They were all at odds with one another. But then the gods came. Nobody really knows where they came from or how they got there, but they were there nonetheless. The gods brought peace and tranquility to the world.

"But the chaos that had been caused in the days before the coming of the gods had already spiraled beyond the product of mortal actions and had taken on a semblance of its own. It became a malevolent entity that fed off the continued chaos until the gods put an end to it. In retribution, the entity took the form of a mighty eight-headed dragon and came to Earth, seeking to destroy that which had created it. The dragon wanted to return the world to chaos. But first it had to destroy the gods and the order they had created.

"The monster attacked and wreaked havoc across the world. However, one of the gods stood against it. The great god whom we know as the radiant one stood in the path of the mighty dragon and sought to fight it with all the power he could muster. In a fierce battle, the radiant one finally succeeded in defeating the dragon. He extracted the monster's spine and divided the body in two. One half he cast into the heavens to drift in the endless void. The other half he buried here on Earth, where he could guard it from anybody who tried to harness the dragon's terrible power. From the spine he had extracted, the radiant one forged a mighty spear, which he carried with him to his resting place at the bottom of the world."

Lora stood silent after finishing her story. Ishiro was also silent, digesting the information she had given him.

It bothered him. The more information that he gathered on this topic, the more familiar the entire situation seemed. It was coming to him in bits and pieces. This being was a god. He was referred to as the radiant one. He had forged a spear from Orochi's body. He rested at the bottom of the world.

_Radiant one,_ thought Ishiro, _Like__ a being of light._ Then it struck him and his mind began to put two and two together. _A god, the god that humanity found.__ He forged a spear. But a spear can also be called a lance. He rested at the bottom of the world, where __Antarctica__ was. Could it be…?_

"I don't believe it," he said at last.

"What is it?" asked Mona.

"I think I understand now," said Ishiro, "Your radiant one, our Susanoo, they both have an identity in common." He looked at the shocked twins, "He no longer rests at the bottom of the world but in the hand of Gendo Ikari. Susanoo, the radiant one, they are none other than the 1st Angel, Adam."

Both Mona and Lora stared at him in shock. "Then this SEELE you speak of…Could they be after the dragon's power."

Ishiro shook his head. "No. They don't want to destroy the world. They want to reshape it. Adam is the only thing they want. He is the only thing they need as far as they are concerned."

He got up and left the cabin, leaving the Cosmos alone with their own thoughts.

"It appears that we may not need to mention anything to him yet," said Lora.

Mona nodded. "But just because we can't see the strings doesn't mean that the puppet master isn't still using them. We should be cautious."

Lora nodded back.

* * *

"Uh sir," asked Maya, "Do we know who is going to launch an attack on NERV."

"I'm afraid we don't," replied Fuyutsuki.

"I'm still not used to this idea," muttered Makoto, "Our commander gets a psychic premonition from a guy halfway around the world that we're about to be attacked and we just follow his orders like it's any other day."

"You'll just have to get used to it," scolded Fuyutsuki, "I trust Ishiro's judgment and we know full well the extent of his powers."

"I thought he lost them after the King Ghidorah incident," remarked Shigeru.

"He appears to have regained them," replied Ritsuko, "I certainly am not harboring the thought that our Commander is having a delusion."

"I thank you for the vote of confidence," replied Fuyutsuki sarcastically.

"Any idea of what form the assault will take?" asked Maya.

"Not much of one," replied Fuyutsuki, "Apparently the ones responsible for the attack have their own psionic defenses. He did say that we have to prepare for a full scenario."

"A full scenario!" exclaimed Shigeru, "Your suggesting that this is a combination outside and ground assault."

"That is correct," replied Fuyutsuki, "Thus, the only way we can hold off any further attack is to maximize our defensive capabilities."

"When will the second and sixth children be arriving back at Tokyo 3?" asked Ritsuko.

"Their estimated ETA is twelve hours," said Fuyutsuki, "What is the status of the Evangelions and the remaining children?"

"Unit's 00 through 02 are still undergoing repairs. However we do expect them to be ready in the minimum time frame."

"And the pilots?"

"The 1st Child is ready on all levels for possible combat. The 3rd Child is still suffering from trauma resulting from the last battle…"

"What trauma?" demanded Fuyutsuki, cutting her off.

"You didn't know sir?" Ritsuko raised an eyebrow. "The 3rd Child suffered the loss of a close friend. His emotional state was considered fragile to begin with. Fortunately, he is making a recovery."

"Will he be ready?"

"People aren't like Evas. We can't just lay out a repair schedule for a person's emotions. There's no way of really knowing how well he'll be able to cope with combat conditions in consideration to the current time frame…"

"Your best guess Dr."

"…But I believe that with continued rehabilitation, he will be ready in time."

"For all our sakes," said Fuyutsuki, "I hope you are right."

"So do I sir."

* * *

The door to Shinji's bedroom slid open. Rei quietly entered, bearing a tray of food. Shinji looked up, slightly surprised at the intrusion. Rei silently set the food down on the bed next to him.

"You need to eat," she said simply.

"I'm not hungry," said Shinji.

Rei suppressed a sigh. For a while, Shinji had been making progress. But when Asuka left in the company of Ishiro and Misato, leaving him in Rei's care, Shinji had entered an emotional slump. She could only hope that Ishiro and the others returned with sufficient time to help Shinji recover.

"Shinji," she said quietly, "Please eat."

"I said I'm not hungry!" Shinji snapped.

Rei took an involuntary step backward from Shinji's very palpable anger. Seeing the surprise and apprehension on her face, Shinji's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Rei," he said softly, "I just feel lonely."

Rei looked down at him. "I feel lonely as well. Without Ishiro here, there is nobody who seems to truly understand me."

She turned to go, but left the tray. Rei heard Shinji moving about behind her and thought that he was maybe deciding to eat. But then, his arms unexpectedly encircled her from behind. Shinji leaned his head against Rei's back and sighed softly. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "Asuka was right, I'm being selfish again. I got so wrapped up in my own pain that I forgot that other people around me might be suffering too."

"Do not be concerned," replied Rei, "I am glad that you are getting better."

Shinji smiled. "Thanks Rei." He let her go. As she left, Rei turned around to give Shinji a last look. "Eat," she said, indicating the food she had set out. Shinji nodded. Rei left, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Asuka smiled and stretched gladly as she exited the plane. Ishiro yawned as he came out behind her. Misato looked like she had been run over by a small tank. Shinji, Rei and Ritsuko were there to greet them. Shinji looked much better than he had when they had left, making Asuka smile. As she came up, Asuka threw her arms around Shinji and hugged him tightly. Shinji, startled by the unexpectedly blatant show of public affection, turned a brilliant shade of red. After a moment's hesitation, he reciprocated, returning Asuka's embrace.

Ishiro and stood at a slight distance from one another. As he looked into her crimson eyes, Ishiro smiled. "It's good to see you," he said.

"I am glad that you are well," answered Rei. She returned his smile. They both then turned to look at Misato and Ritsuko.

Ritsuko looked at the disheveled major rather dubiously. "Withdrawal," she asked, trading a look with Ishiro.

"She went through the boat's entire supply of liquor before we were even halfway back," he answered. Ritsuko shook her head sadly. "Shameful," she muttered.

"I'm back," groaned Misato, "Now where's the booze?"

* * *

Despite the environmental trauma of Second Impact, the forests of Hokkaido seemed relatively untouched. The sudden change in the Earth's temperature had initially devastated the ecosystem of the forest, which had been suited for a much more temperate climate. However, thanks to the fact that all attempts at human development in the area had been completely halted by the devastation all those years ago, the forest was rebounding.

In the deepest portion of the forest, something awoke. It had slumbered beneath the forest for countless millennia. In the past weeks it had only just begun to awaken. Newly aware, it thrust itself against the bindings that held it in place. It strained the barrier to its limit, but the bonds held. There was no way it could escape its imprisonment. However, if it was awake, then that could only mean that its other had returned. Newly invigorated by this realization, it once again began to test its prison.

* * *

Both Mona and Lora trembled in fear. "I cannot imagine how it was awakened again," said Lora.

"It must have felt its other," said Mona.

"But the other has been destroyed," protested Lora, "There is no longer any other for it to call out to."

"Perhaps," said Mona thoughtfully, "Perhaps She is behind this."

"She could preserve its life," agreed Lora, "But it would need to be whole for the two of them to merge again."

"You are right," said Mona, "And the only thing that could restore it is the very thing that holds its other captive. And if She acquires it, then all we have done will be undone."

"We can only trust in those children," said Lora, "And in Mothra's chosen. They are the last obstacle in Her plan."

* * *

"Dinner's ready," said Shinji from the kitchen.

Asuka got up from her couch, bones groaning in protest. "Coming," she shouted as she stretched her slightly stiffened limbs.

A low moan sounded from Misato's room. "Let me sleep," she said, her voice barely audible through the sliding door.

"There's beer," Shinji prompted.

There was a slight pause, followed by an even louder groan from Misato's room. A few seconds later, the door slid open and the dreary looking woman trudged out and down the hall to the kitchen.

"Honestly," complained Asuka, "I shudder to think what would happen if there was a beer shortage. Can we trust command of our operations to a person who's on the verge of unconsciousness whenever she happens to be sober?"

"There's only one thing you can do," mumbled Misato as she sat down at the table and slumped across it, "Make sure you keep me good 'n drunk."

Asuka sighed and shrugged. Shinji actually chuckled as he brought the last of the food. Asuka noticed something unusual. "Hey, is it just me, or did you make a heck of a lot of food here?"

"I've got to make sure you stay fed," said Shinji, smiling broadly as he brought yet another dish to the table.

"Oh really," said Asuka, smiling slyly, "I noticed that you have the table set for seven."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Shinji's smile widened as he went to answer the door. It slid open to reveal Ishiro and Rei. "Are we late?" asked Ishiro. Rei said nothing but gave Shinji a small smile.

"You're right on time," replied Shinji. He ushered them in. As they entered, Shinji discreetly noticed that Rei and Ishiro were holding hands.

No sooner had Shinji slid the door behind him than the doorbell rang again. He opened the door again. "Hello Ms. Horaki," he said cordially.

"I'm glad to see that you're feeling better, Shinji," said Hikari as she came in.

"Is that you Hikari?" Asuka shouted from the kitchen.

Hikari went into the kitchen and soon the two close friends were talking up a storm.

Misato, in the meantime, had finally gotten her energy back after gulping down a couple of cans of beer. "I think I can guess who our last mystery guest is," she said with a grin.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang one last time. Shinji once again got the door, letting in Touji. Neither of them said a word. Suddenly, Touji threw his arms around Shinji and held his best friend close.

"You know Kensuke wouldn't want us moping don't you," he said into Shinji's ear.

Shinji nodded and hugged Touji back. Together, the two of them made their way into the kitchen. As they ate, Misato carefully observed how happy everyone appeared to be. Ishiro was laughing at a joke Touji told him. Watching them, Hikari whispered something discreetly into Rei's ear. To Misato's surprised, Rei actually giggled. Asuka and Shinji were softly talking among themselves. Both of them were smiling. It seemed that even Shinji had finally managed to get over Kensuke's loss.

Misato grinned and suddenly broke into the conversation. "You guys all look like one big family," she said, grinning.

Shinji nodded. "We all figured it would be a good idea. Since there hasn't been school in a long time, we haven't all managed to get together for a while."

Dinner was the best thing they had all had since Kensuke's death. Misato could tell that everyone's spirits had been lifted by the event. After dinner, everyone stayed and they all pursued various games and activities. Shinji, Touji, Ishiro, and Pen Pen all played cards (on Ishiro's promise that he wouldn't use his powers to spy on anybody else's hand. Though Misato suspected he took the occasional psychic peek from time to time.) Asuka and Hikari were teaching Rei how to play a video game Hikari had brought with her. However, Rei proved to be a quick learner and soon turned the tables on the other two girls and was soon showing them some new tricks. Misato chose to sit back and observe the goings on. She sipped from a can of beer as she did so. For the first time in a long while, Misato felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

As they played, the boys conversed. Pen Pen held his tongue, choosing to squawk from time to time when he felt the game was lagging.

"So," said Ishiro, looking pointedly at Touji, "Now that it appears that my experiment has proven to be successful, are you interested in using the regenerator serum to replace your limbs?"

Touji's eyes widened at the unexpected question. "Are you absolutely sure that it's safe?" He asked. Touji was worried because, whatever the outcome, his sister was likely to be the next subject for the regenerator.

"Don't forget that Ms. Horaki wouldn't be with us tonight if it hadn't been for the regenerator serum that Rei had administered to her," replied Ishiro, "Not to mention the fact that it saved hundreds of other lives as well. Many of the victims the serum was used upon had injuries similar to those that were received by your younger sister."

Touji nodded. "What do you think?" he asked Shinji.

Shinji looked slightly baffled. "I'm not sure," he said hesitantly, "But I think that it would b a good thing for you to get your arm and leg back."

Touji nodded. Ishiro interjected. "In any case, your sister is already slated for an injection of the regenerator and a dose has already been reserved for that purpose. All we need is your word and we can administer the serum."

"What!?" yelped Touji, "I told you I wouldn't let you use it on her until I was sure that it was safe."

"And you may still hold me to that," replied Ishiro, "I was merely saying that we are ready to proceed when you wish."

"But why me?" asked Touji, "Mom, dad? Shouldn't they have a say in this?"

"You have been the one primarily responsible for the care of your younger sister," replied Ishiro, "It was your decision that in return for your services as a pilot, she would be moved to NERV's better funded and better equipped medical facilities. Since you took the initiative regarding her health, you are essentially the one responsible for the treatment she receives."

Misato had been eavesdropping on the conversation. _It also means that Ishiro has made sure that Touji is the only thing standing between his sister and her recovery,_ she thought, _That__ puts extra pressure on him to give the all clear for the treatment. I didn't think Ishiro would try something like that._

Touji fidgeted for a few moments, until a loud and insistent squawk from Pen Pen reminded him of the card game in progress. Touji played his hand then resumed his nervous fidgeting. He, of course, had no idea of the fact that Ishiro had put the pressure deliberately on his shoulders.

After a moment, he made his decision. "Fine," he said, "I'll get my limbs treated and let my sister get the injection."

"A wise decision," said Ishiro, as he laid his hand on the table for all the other players to see. It beat all of their hands easily. _As always, I have all the cards,_ thought Ishiro smugly.

* * *

Having had sufficient amusement for the evening, the visitors to the Katsuragi/Ikari/Sorhyu residence bid their farewells and went their separate ways. Touji and Hikari went back to their respective homes, temporary ones that had been assigned after the destruction of Tokyo 3. Ishiro and Rei went down into headquarters. They each had their own rooms in the facility.

That night, Ishiro lay on the futon he had rolled out on the floor. He hadn't even bothered to pull a blanket over him as the night wore on. Of course, the temperature in headquarters was kept at a constant comfortable level to ensure optimal working conditions. Thus, a blanket or covering of any kind was unnecessary.

Once again, Ishiro reached out with his thoughts to try and learn what it was that SEELE was actually planning. Once again, he encountered the veil, a black wall between him and his objective. _Damn,_ he thought, _This__ is definitely the work of another psychic. But who?_

He was so distracted that he didn't notice anyone approaching until the person knocked timidly on the door. Ishiro immediately shifted his focus to the visitor. After a brief mental scan, he realized that it was Rei. But she seemed abnormally apprehensive about something.

He slid the door open and looked at the girl outside. To his surprise, Rei was holding a futon. Ishiro had only sought to identify her when she knocked and thus had conducted a mere cursory scan of her thoughts. It had left him with her identity and a vague idea of her present emotional state. He hadn't bothered to determine Rei's actual intent.

"What is it?" he asked gently, sensing without the help of his powers that she was not at ease.

"I was nervous," replied Rei, "And I wanted to know if I could spend the night in here?" She hefted the futon draped over her arms to punctuate her statement.

"I see," replied Ishiro. He nodded. "Alright then," he said, "Come on in."

Rei stepped inside and laid out her futon next to his. Ishiro settled down on his mattress and looked over at the blue-haired girl.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

"I am not sure, but I feel uneasy with this attack that is about to occur." She shrugged.

"So do I," replied Ishiro. Rei looked at him oddly. "There's something wrong going on here. Every time I try to use my powers to find out exactly what the attack is going to be, I can't actually penetrate the minds of SEELE. Someone has managed to block my powers."

"That is odd," commented Rei, "Do you know of anyone else who has psychic abilities."

"Not anyone that's alive today. The only other people that I've met who currently have any power are the Cosmos…" That brought Ishiro to a halt. "…No, it couldn't be them."

"If not them," said Rei, "Then who?"

"Who indeed?" wondered Ishiro. A yawn escaped his mouth. "I didn't realize how tired I was. Why don't we go to bed and figure out what to do in the morning."

Rei nodded. She laid out her futon next to Ishiro's. They quickly got into their respective beds. Feeling that Rei wasn't yet relaxed, Ishiro reached out and took her hand in his.

"We'll be okay," he said softly. He thought for a moment and added, "I think."

"You are not certain," observed Rei, "And yet you are not distressed."

Ishiro chuckled. "The funny thing about losing my powers for a while was that I got kind of used to not knowing everything. It doesn't feel so bad anymore."

"Perhaps you are simply becoming complacent," suggested Rei. Her tone was serious, but the smile on her face suggested otherwise.

Ishiro laughed. "Was that a joke Ayanami?" Rei only smiled in response. Ishiro tightened his grip on her hand. Without another word, the two of them began to drift off to sleep.

* * *

The entity once again thrust its power against the bonds that restrained it. It met with failure once again. However, it continued to do so, seeking to push the walls of its prison to their limit. However, it was cut off from its sustenance. Hunger undermined its strength. Pushing to the extreme limits of its awareness, it could feel the massive source of nourishment just above it. Only that cursed barrier stood between it and its return to full strength. Still, it had not choice but to wait. Perhaps its other would soon come and free it.

* * *

The sun had not yet risen when Ishiro awoke. As quietly as he could, he got up and went into the bathroom to change. He decided to forgo a shower, seeing as it might wake Rei. He probably didn't have to worry, Rei was a heavy sleeper. And besides, if she did begin to wake up, it wouldn't have been too difficult for Ishiro to gently nudge her mind back into slumber. However, that didn't feel right anymore.

After meeting with Mothra, Ishiro had come to realize the extent to which he had been abusing his power. He had gone through life wantonly probing the minds of anyone he encountered, without a thought to their privacy and their feelings had they known that he had read their minds. His respect for Mothra, after meeting her in moth (as opposed to in person) made him feel that using the power she had restored to him in such a way would sully her gift. And besides, Ishiro simply felt like he couldn't treat Rei in such a disrespectful manner.

Before he left, Ishiro was surprised to notice that Rei had done some tossing and turning during the night. Her motions had dislodged the thin blanket. The room wasn't ice cold. But it wasn't exactly warm either. For the sake of Rei's comfort, Ishiro knelt down and carefully pulled the blanket up so that it full covered her body once again.

As he looked her over one last time, Ishiro's eyes came to rest on Rei's face. He couldn't stop a smile from playing across his lips. _She looks just like a sleeping angel,_ He thought, _and not the world threatening kind either._

Ishiro hesitated for a moment. Then he leaned down and kissed Rei's cheek, softly brushing his lips against her smooth skin. Then standing up, Ishiro took his leave of the room, failing to notice that behind him, Rei was smiling.

* * *

"You've finally come back to work I see," commented Ritsuko without looking up.

"I couldn't stay away forever," replied Ishiro amusedly, "I've been spoiling you guys and you can't get anything done without me now."

Ritsuko snorted. "I doubt that very much young man. You may be a genius, but I still have a leg up on you in terms of experience."

Ishiro smirked evilly, "I could change that. One little mental probe and all of your 'experience' can be downloaded directly into my brain from yours."

Ritsuko finally did look up at him, her eyes narrowing dangerously, "Do that and you'll be one dead psychic."

Ishiro grinned, "Are there certain aspects of your 'experience' that you don't want me to know about?"

"That's none of your business," growled Ritsuko.

"In any case, we have much to do Dr. Akagi," replied Ishiro, "How do the defenses look?"

"Other than the Evas, we've got practically nothing," answered Ritsuko.

"I see," commented Ishiro, "What about our home defense."

"Your plan to protect against intrusion into headquarters," replied Ritsuko, "That is on schedule."

"Very good," intoned Ishiro, "Who knew that accident would contribute something so useful to us?

"Indeed," agreed Ritsuko.

"What about the Evas?" asked Ishiro.

"Unit 14 was virtually undamaged in King Ghidorah's attack and is fully operational," replied Ritsuko, "Unit 00 took the most damage. We are still replacing the artificial diamond armor that was lost in the attack. Units 01 and 02 both sustained heavy damage in the attack but have been fully repaired."

"Will Unit 00 be ready in time for the upcoming attack?" Ishiro wanted to know.

"I can't say for sure," replied Ritsuko, "But I think that it will be ready."

"Good." Ishiro was looking through some of the files concerning the G-cell regeneration project.

"What are you planning?" asked Ritsuko.

"Touji has given the go ahead to start the treatment for his sister," replied Ishiro, "I want to administer the regenerator serum today so that she'll be safe to move before the attack comes."

"How did you get Suzuhara to agree to this?" Ritsuko wanted to know.

"It was a simple matter of making him feel guilty for withholding effective treatment from his beloved sister when the methods being used have already been proven safe," replied Ishiro.

"Is that really an honest way to go about it," asked Ritsuko.

"No, but it is for the greater good," answered Ishiro.

_You can be so damn condescending sometimes,_ thought Ritsuko.

"Hey, I heard that." Ritsuko winced reflexively.

* * *

Time passed and preparations for the assault continued. Meanwhile, SEELE had finally finished preparations for their attack.

Keel went down the final checklist as the twelve men set their plan into motion.

"Are Units 05-13 ready for deployment?"

"They are."

"Is the dummy plug system ready?"

"It is."

"Are the troops ready to move out?"

"They are awaiting your orders."

"Is IT ready?"

"Yes."

"Then without further delay, let us commence."

* * *

_Finally, it has begun. All those fools dance like puppets on my strings. Even the two who know what I have in store don't really have any idea about what I plan to do. Everything is going as I planned. Those foolish men are not bringing about man's instrumentality, but humanity's extinction.

* * *

_

Author's notes: And that's it for now. It will probably take even longer to get this next chapter out as I plan on putting this story on hold while I do some serious catching up with my Rurouni Kenshin fic.

On a lighter note, I do get to say that I have finally achieved my goal of creating a plot twist that even my most perceptive readers have yet to figure out. At the end of the previous chapters, I got plenty of suggestions on what happens after SEELE's attack. So far, I can still say that nobody has guessed what I have planned. I'll probably have to bite my tongue soon though as I doubt that you readers won't be able to figure my plans out eventually.

I'll give you all one hint. This fic was originally intended to be solely an Evangelion/Godzilla crossover. However, the scope has broadened significantly to include a number of other works from Toho, including but not limited to the Mothra series.

I will update eventually and hope that you all have the patience to wait for me again.

Until next time...


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